A Salute to the Butler's

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T11:46:00.003-10:00

We wish all of our friends and family a very Happy New Year! We spent a nice family evening together watching movies and playing games. Then woke up this morning refreshed, ready to face a new year and discovered...

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-29T18:02:00.003-10:00

Ok, so we're not off to such a good start in the weekly blogging. I apologize for forgetting this week. I did remember earlier this week, but then I had to work several evenings.

We did have a lot of fun pumpkin carving this evening! Ryan carved his pumpkin all by himself for the first time ever!! He was pretty excited that I let him use the knives. He did an awesome job! David decided that he wanted a silly face, Hailey wanted a girly face (whatever that is) and Ryan settled on scary.

I'll add pictures to flickr from tonight and our trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Click here to see them.

What's New

2009-10-18T15:00:00.003-10:00

As a part of our effort to increase our family activies, I have decided that we will do family blogging once a week. Each of us will get an opportunity to add something about our week. Maybe something special, something new, something bothersome.

I went to the Pumpkin Patch. pumpkin. I ride horsey. I went on the horsey. I got my face painted. Spiderman! ~David

I just wanted to dance to music at ballet. My friend Laney is doing ballet too. I like to wear my ballet clothes and shoes. They are pink! Lauren just does ballet too and Trinity and Nora too. I am making H's on the paper with a pencil. ~Hailey

I had a blast this weekend! On Saturday I had several lady friends over for a "Passion Party" and today we went to the Pumpkin Patch. The kids and I had a blast! I just love it when I can actually relax, have a good time with family and friends without having to focus on getting all the chores done. Work has been a little stressful, lots of changes going on. We are in the process of turning over from being hired by contracted companies to being government positions. So all of our jobs have to be posted and we have to reapply and reinterview for our jobs. My position was just reposted Friday. Keep your fingers crossed that I get rehired for my position! ~Christina

Getting ready to go to the field. ~Joseph

I was playing Halo 3 against my freinds and I went on a killing spree with a Spartan laser or you can call it a Big gun that shoots lasers! ~Ryan

My Baby is 3!!

2009-06-06T18:53:00.001-10:00

David's 3rd Bday 028
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

I can't believe that my baby is already 3! It's overwhelming that 3 years have already gone by since I had the little guy. David has become quite a character, continually keeping us amused with his antics and facial expressions.

Today he had lots of fun opening his presents, going to the movies, swimming in his new pool and having birthday cake. Click on David's picture to see more photos from today's birthday celebration.

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-06-06T18:47:00.001-10:00

Mother's Day Weekend 2009 008
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

This Mother's Day I decided that I didn't want anyone to get me presents, I would rather "run away" for the weekend and pretend that we were on vacation. It was soooo worth it.

We went out to Palm Springs for the weekend and had a blast on the Aerial Tramway that rotates 360 degrees as it goes up to the top of the mountain. We also spent plenty of time at the pool soaking up the warm sunshine that we have been missing.

Click on the picture of me and Hailey to see the rest of our photos from the weekend.

Boy Scouts

2009-02-22T15:49:00.005-10:00

Ryan has reached a remarkable acheivement this weekend... He earned his Arrow of Light Award and crossed over to become a Boy Scout! For those of you unfamiliar with scouting, this is the only award earned as a Cub Scout that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform. We are very proud of all his accomplishments!

Over the past few weeks Ryan had become pretty discouraged with scouting and had decided that he wanted to quit, now that he finished Cub Scouts. Fortunately, after listening to some of the Boy Scouts in his new Troop, Ryan has decided to give Boy Scouts a try. We told him that he could quit after trying it, if he decides that he isn't enjoying the adventure.

On a side note, Hailey will be having surgery in the morning to put tubes in her ears. Hopefully, this will be the end of the reocurring ear infections. She has been so miserable with them.

I know that it has been forever since I have written. I unfortunately have felt that there has been nothing of note to write about. I am still working at my job with the Exceptional Family Member Program here on base. Joseph is finishing up his school to be an instructor. The kids are doing well and enjoying school. We have set goals for ourselves to get out of the house more often on the weekends, so hopefully we will begin to have fun stuff to write about again.

No Internet

2008-10-08T02:48:00.002-10:00

We do finally have a house. YEAH!!! Our stuff is being delivered today, so it will be crazy hectic for a few days.

Unfortunately, the phone and internet will not be hooked up until next Monday the 13th. Use our cell phones still if you need to get a hold of us.

I will work very hard to get an update and new pictures up after we are settled. I did add pictures to flickr from when my parents came to visit in September. If you click on the flickr box on the side, you will be able to see them.

Going Away Party

2008-09-17T13:12:00.003-10:00

Me and the girls
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

My Connor Loop EFMP Ghetto girls threw us an awesome going away party. We had a jumpy house, a kiddy pool, drinks, cakes and tons of yummy food!
Click here or on the picture to see all of our fun!

We have arrived!

2008-09-11T10:24:00.003-10:00

Well, we have officially arrived at our new duty station, Camp Pendleton. We are currently residing in a very small cramped hotel room in the Temporary Lodging Facility on base.

Close your eyes and imagine: 2 full beds against one wall, a TV, wet bar, entertainment center and a table with 3 chairs against the opposite wall. Then throw a twin bed in the middle with a
2 foot walkway around it. Add in 6 suitcases, 5 backpacks and a pile of dirty laundry. This is our current living conditions. You're jealous, aren't you?! :)

We're not sure how much longer we are going to be here. If we end up waiting for the next house on base it will be a month. If we end up renting in town, then we will be out of here sooner. I'll keep you updated and pass along our address as soon as we have one.

Obama Rally in Honolulu

2008-08-09T12:30:00.002-10:00

Obama speech
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

I got the privelage to go hear Barack Obama speak here in Honolulu yesterday. He and his family are spending a week here on vacation and visiting family. This was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am very glad that I had the chance to go.

One of my close friends, Alesa, and I started the day by taking the kids to the zoo. We drove separately so that I could go straight to the rally. After the zoo, she took Hailey and David for me and I took her oldest son Jaquob.

We got to the rally around 12:15 (the gates opened at 12:30), after about a mile walk from the car. We stood in a verrrry long line and finally got into the gates around 1:30. We had gotten word that Obama was expected around 2:30. So we plopped our butts down and began the long hot wait. Around 3:00, Senator Akaka came out and spoke, followed by Representative Abercrombie and then mayor Mufi Hanneman. Finally, the moment we had been waiting for...Barack and Michelle Obama arrived!

The speech was not a long one and not a very political one. Rather, it was very motivational. Obama spoke mainly about what he believes in and the direction he feels our country needs to head in. All in all, it was very exciting and inspiring!

Click here or on the picture of Obama to see the rest of the photos I took. There are also 2 video clips if you would like to hear him speak.

125 Life Experiences and I've Had 107

2008-08-06T20:19:00.003-10:00

(x) Had an asthma attack
(x) Smoked A Cigarette
(x) Smoked A Cigar
(x) Kissed A Member Of The Same Sex
(x) Been In Love or still in love
(x) Been Dumped
() Been Fired
(x) Been In A Fist Fight
() Jumped Through A Window
Total So Far: 7

Level 2
(x) Had Feelings For Someone Who Didn't Have Them Back
() Been Arrested or Seen Someone You Know Get Arrested
(x) Made Out With A Stranger
(x) Gone Out On A Blind Date
(x) Had A Crush On someone older than you
(x) Skipped School
(x) Slept With A Co-worker/ team mate
(x) Seen Someone / Something Die
Total So Far: 14

Level 3
(x) Been On A Plane
(x) Thrown Up From Drinking
(x) Eaten Sushi
(x) Been Snowboarding/Skiing
() Been Mosh Pitting
(x) Taken Pain Killers
(x) Love(d) or Lust Someone Who You Can't Have
(x) Been in a BAD relationship
Total So Far: 21

Level 4
(x) Laid On Your Back And Watched Cloud Shapes Go By
(x) Made A Snow Angel
(x) Had A Tea Party
(x) Flown A Kite
(x) Built A Sand Castle
(x) Gone Puddle Jumping
(x) Played Dress Up
(x) Jumped Into A Pile Of Leaves
(x) Gone Sledding
(x) Cheated While Playing A Game
Total So Far: 31

Level 5
(x) Been Lonely
(x) Fallen Asleep At Work / School
(x) Used A Fake / Someone Else's ID
(x) Watched The sun set / sun rise
(x) Felt An Earthquake
(x) Kissed A Snake
(x) Been Tickled
(x) Been Robbed / Vandalized
() Robbed Someone (or store)
(x) Been Misunderstood
Total So Far: 40

Level 6
(x) Pet A Deer
(x) Won a Contest
() Been Suspended
(x) Had Detention
( ) Been In A Motorcycle Accident
(x) Had / Have Braces
(x) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(x) Had Deja vu
(x) Danced in the moonlight
(x) Hated the way you look
Total So Far: 48

Level 7
(x) Questioned your heart
(x) Been obsessed with post-it-notes
(x) Squished Barefoot Through the Mud
(x) Been lost
(x) Been To The Opposite Side Of The United States
(x) Swam In The Ocean
() Felt Like You Were Dying
(x) Cried Yourself to sleep
Total So Far: 55

Level 8
(x) Played Cops and Robbers
(x) Recently Colored With Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
(x) Sang Karaoke
(x) Done Something You Told Yourself You Wouldn't
(x) Made Prank Phone Calls
(x) Laughed Until Some Kind Of Beverage Came Out Of Your Nose
(x) Kissed In The Rain
(x) Written A Letter To Santa Claus
() Been Kissed Under A Mistletoe
Total So Far: 63

level 9
(x)Watched The Sun Set With Someone You Care / Cared About
(x) Blown Bubbles
(x) Made A Bonfire
(x) Crashed A Party
(x) Have Traveled More Than 3 Days With A Car Full Of People
(x) Gone Rollerskating / Blading
(x) Had A Wish Come True
(x) Worn Pearls
( ) Jumped Off A Bridge
Total So Far: 71

Level 10
() Swam With Dolphins
(x) Got Your Tongue Stuck To A Pole/ Freezer/Ice Cube
() Kissed A Fish
(x) Worn The Opposite Sex's Clothes
(x) Sat On A Roof Top
(x) Screamed At The Top Of Your Lungs
(x) Done / Attempted A One-Handed Cartwheel
(x) Talked on the phone for more than 6 hours
(x) Stayed Up All Night
Total So Far: 78

Level 11
(x) Picked And Ate An Apple Right Off The Tree
(x) Climbed A Tree
(x) Had / Been In A Tree House
(x) Have been/Are scared To Watch Scary Movies Alone
(x)Seen/heard a Ghost/Spirit
(x) Have/had More Than 30 Pairs Of Shoes & or Flip Flops at one time
(x) Gone streaking
(x) Gone skinny dipping
() Been to/Visited Someone At Jail
(x) Played Chicken
(x) Been Pushed Into A Pool With All Your Clothes On
Total So Far: 88

Level 12
(x) Been Told You're Hot By A Complete Stranger
(x) Been Easily Amused
(x) Caught A Fish
(x) Caught A Butterfly
(x) Laughed So Hard You Cried
() Cried So Hard You Laughed
(x) Mooned / Flashed Someone
(x) Had someone Moon / Flash You
Total So Far: 95

Level 13
(x) Cheated On A Test
(x) Forgotten Someone's Name
(x) French braided someone's hair/attempted
() Been Kicked Out Of Your House
(x) Rode A Roller Coaster
(x) Went Scuba-Diving / Snorkeling
(x) Had A Cavity
Total So Far: 101

Level 14
(x) Been used
(x) Fell Going Up The Stairs
(x) Bitten Someone
(x) Licked Someone
() Been shot at
() Flattened someone's tires
(x) Drove/rode in a car until the gas light came on
(x) Had five dollars or less and bought something
Total: 107

Repost Your Results Like This...125 Life Experiences And I've Had

Yeah it's over!

2008-07-31T07:40:00.003-10:00

Our packout is finally over!!! We are now living in an almost empty house until it's time for us to fly off this rock.

Oh boy...bare walls and tile floors. Do you know what that means. Echo Echo Echo... The kids love it, but I imagine that our neighbors do not. It's not exactly easy to keep three kids and a dog, not to mention a husband, quiet in an echoey house.

Oh well, it does mean that we are closer to starting our next venture in life.

Busy busy

2008-07-20T07:02:00.002-10:00

I know I haven't written in a while, it seems like we have been going going nonstop. First, was the trip back to St. Louis. Despite the circumstances, it was really great to see our families again. Click here to see the pictures from our trip.
As soon as we returned, we hit the ground running. The movers came to do their walk-thru, we had dance and swim lessons to make up and a mess of a house from leaving so quickly. We are currently in the process of prepping for the movers coming next week to pack our stuff. I have been taking down pictures, washing up linens, separating what stay and what goes. It will be interesting to be living out of suitcases and a backpack of toys for a month.

In Loving Memory...

2008-07-02T09:08:00.003-10:00

Joseph's mother, Mary, has passed away. She was a much loved and very strong woman. I remember visiting with her throughout high school and talking to her about everything under the sun. She became a second mother to me, one I could count on for an objective opinion about my typical high school "drama".
She will most definitely be missed by all that knew her. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Realize

2008-06-24T08:20:00.002-10:00

1. I've come to realize that my boobs.....need to learn how to defy gravity
2. I've come to realize that my job.....is not worth the pay, lol
3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving.....I tend to space out and follow the person in front of me
4. I've come to realize that I need.....my own identity
5. I've come to realize that I have lost.....my mind
6. I've come to realize that I hate it when.....I want to relax and the kids won't stop climbing all over me
8. I've come to realize that money.....is never in supply to meet the demands of our family
9. I've come to realize that certain people.....really need to grow up and act thier age
10. I've come to realize that I'll always be.....a little OCD
12. I've come to realize that my mom.....is an amazing person and I don't know how she did it all
13. I've come to realize that my cell phone is.....way too much of a friend/crutch
14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning.....I am not rested
15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep.....I wanted to get more done
16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking about.....turning off annoying kid shows
17. I've come to realize that my dad.....probably has Asberger's like my son-quirky but loved
18. I've come to realize that when I get on Myspace.....I waste too much time
19. I've come to realize that today.....I want to have some fun
20. I've come to realize that tonight.....I will get a break from kids by going to a meeting, is that really a break?
21. I've come to realize that tomorrow I will.....be doing more of the same old thing
22. I've come to realize that I really want to.....have my own house
24. I've come to realize that life.....is what you make it
25. I've come to realize that this weekend.....was a great bonding period:me and friends/ Ryan and Joseph
26. I've realized the best music to listen to when I am upset.....is something I can sing along with and snap out of it
27. I've come to realize that my friends.....are really important and I need them to survive military life
28. I've come to realize that this year.....is going to be better than last!

I have also come to realize that there are several numbers missing, so whoever started this thing might want to "realize" how to count.

Way too long...

2008-06-22T08:50:00.005-10:00

It has been such a long time since I sat down and blogged. I will try to recap major events, while "making a long story short".

Ok, I guess I should start back in May. Joseph had PRK eye surgery. It was a great success, so now he is seeing 20/15. He is sooooo excited to not have to wear glasses ever again!

Ryan and I went on a Cub Scout Campout. Since Joseph had just had his surgery, he wasn't able to go and stayed home with the little ones. It was a great opportunity for Ryan and I to have some one-on-one time, which rarely happens. We had a great time going to the beach, racing his boat in the Raingutter Regatta, and just hanging out. He has officially crossed over to be a Webelo 2 and is now working on his Arrow of Light to be a Boy Scout. (click here or on the picture to see the rest of the campout pics)

In the beginning of June Hailey started dance class. It's a basic intro class to tap and ballet. She is soooo excited! She loves the "dancing clothes" and twirling around.While Hailey is in dance class, David and I do a Mommy and Me open gym fun time. They are all in the same place, so we get to peek in on sissy while we play. David's favorite is the trampoline. He loves to jump like a frog.

David turned the big "2". Of course he feels that he has to live up to the rep of "terrible twos". We had a few friends over for a party and the kids had a great time. This year he is really into "Lightning McQueen". (click here or on the picture to see all of David's birthday pics)As some of you already know, Ryan was recently rediagnosed with Asberger's, a high functioning form of Autism. To help support him and research into this disability, we participated in the annual Autism Walk. Thanks to many of our family and friends, we surpassed our fundraising goal! We raised $550 with more on the way. (click here or on the picture to see more of the Walk)This weekend I was able to go to a girl's night out Passion Party with a couple of friends. We had soooo much fun, but I'm not publishing all those details. lolThe last, most recent event, was Ryan and Joseph having a father-son weekend. They were supposed to go to a Father/ Son Retreat, but unfortunately duty calls and Joseph had to work part of the weekend. To make up for it, they spent Friday and Saturday together going to Hooters, cruising on the motorcycle, going hiking, playing video games and just hanging out.

Tomorrow, my baby boy turns 10! I can't believe how big he is getting. I will blog his birthday after his party next weekend.

Love to All!!!

Our Newest Addition

2008-04-17T08:49:00.003-10:00

Here is Kaika (we call him Kai), the newest addition to our family.
He is a beautiful, pure AKC Certified Siberian Husky, who turned 2 years old in March. According to the people who sold him to us, he was the runt of the litter and is now fully grown. He is very playful and FULL of energy. He went running/walking with me last night on my usual 3.4 miles and still wanted to play when we got back.

The kids love him, especially Ryan. Hailey likes it when Kai's tail hits her face. David still gets nervous sometimes when Kai tries to lick his face. Understandable since they are about the same height.

Day 1

2008-04-06T21:05:00.002-10:00

Today is the first day toward a new me. I have decided that instead of sitting around and b*#@^ing about how I look, I need to do something about it.
I have also come to realize that I am not going to change my eating habits. I make healthy meals yes, but I also like my sweets (thanks dad). I think that my habits are too ingrained and flat out, I like food.
So, that leaves exercise. I know that I feel better and I have more energy when I work out. Beginning today I will start working out at least 5 days a week. Oh, don't get the idea that I am going to turn into a health nut or anything, but I am tired of my cottage cheese thighs and old lady triceps.
Please keep me in your thoughts as I begin this quest. I know that I will need all the support I can get.

Birthday Girl

2008-04-01T13:48:00.004-10:00

Birthday Dora Hailey
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

Hailey turned a big three years old yesterday! Fortunately, she and David are no longer contagious, so we were able to celebrate with some friends. It may not have been the beach party she wanted, but I think Hailey had a good time anyway.

We had hot dogs and french fries for dinner, per Hailey's request. This was followed by "Princess Cake", ( I made a cake that looked like princess Hailey) and presents. Unfortunately, daddy got called into work and missed all the excitement.

Click on Miss Hailey's picture to see more pics of her celebration.

Current Events

2008-03-26T17:21:00.005-10:00

Where do I even begin? I realize that it's been a while since I updated everyone on our happenings out here in the middle of the ocean.

My birthday was last week. The kids and I spent the day making a cake and decorating it. I let them pick everything out and put it together. We had lots of fun. Then we had pizza and cake for dinner. Yummy! My sweet hubby surprised me by getting me a new ipod nano. I was soooo excited! I hadn't been expecting anything since I thought we had agreed that my Valentine's Day present was going to be for both.

Ryan is on Spring Break for two weeks. He goes back to school next Monday. As much as he complains about school, he may be ready to go back this time. There aren't many kids in the neighborhood his age, so he has been quite bored.

Last weekend was the annual Pinewood Derby Race for Ryan's Cub Scout Pack. We spent a couple of weeks working on the design and decorating it. He ended up winning 3rd place in his den, but didn't place for the Pack as a whole. We were really proud of his win. Each year we seem to do a little bit better.I took the kids to the zoo one day last week. It was the first time I took them without a stroller. They did really well and wore themselves out (yeah for mom!).

Easter was a big hit. The whole family was able to sit and dye eggs together. Then, of course, the Easter Bunny came and left treats in everybody's baskets. We did egg hunts and got plenty sugared up.

Our big news this week is that Hailey and David have Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. This is a nastly little virus that causes blisters in the mouth, hands and feet along with fevers. It is also highly contagious. Fortunately, it is one of those once in a life things. Needless to say though, we are stuck at home with crabby clingy kids. Ryan is now really stuck and bored because we can't even go anywhere to have some fun. On top of that, we have to cancel Hailey's birthday party for this weekend. She is verrry upset about that one. We have told her that as soon as her sick is all gone we can have her beach party. I'm not sure she really understands though.

Finally official!

2008-03-06T19:21:00.002-10:00

Ok, we finally have official orders to get off of this island. We will be leaving in the middle of September (sorry Tina, I really wanted to see you!) and head back to Camp Pendleton. Joseph will be an instructor at the School of Infantry there, which means he will be able to finish his career without deploying again!!!
We are all very excited to get to see family and friends again. And of course its always easier to move to a place you're familiar with. We'll keep you updated as plans are firmed up.

Surfer Dude!

2008-03-01T16:04:00.002-10:00

Check out this impressive surfer! This was only his second time going to AccesSurf.

I'll add more pics to flickr later.

Blue and Gold 2008

2008-02-26T10:50:00.002-10:00

Webelos Den with parents
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

Each year we celebrate the Cub Scout birthday at the Blue and Gold. Our pack has a dinner, cake contest and awards ceremony. This year the theme was Happy Chinese New Year.

The cake contest had three categories: Most Blue and Gold Spirit, Best Chinese Dragon and Best Original Asian Design. Ryan and I decided to be humorous and make a cake to look like chinese take out boxes. We ended up winning the Best Original Asian Design!

After dinner awards were handed out. Ryan earned his Webelos badge. It is now pinned on upside down until he does a good deed unprompted. He has also earned 6 requirement pins in Naturalist, Fitness, Citizen, Scholar, Artist and Readyman. He's earned more than anyone else in his den! He will now start working toward his Arrow of Light. Once he earns that next year, he will cross over to Boy Scouts. Click here or on the picture to see all of our photos from the banquet.

$25

2008-02-14T15:40:00.002-10:00

Do you remember when $25 was a lot of money?
Yesterday I sold our highchair for $25 and on the way back home I was very excited about getting the money to put towards Hailey's birthday presents. I felt giddy like a little schoolgirl. Then I started to laugh at myself, thinking "Oh boy, a whole $25. Whoop-dee-do. What am I going to get for $25?"
This led me to start pondering how it all depends on our status in life as to whether or not $25 could be considered a lot of money. I remember when I was a teenager, I would get really excited to earn $25 babysitting. I could go to the movies, I could fill up my car. Heck, I could do both. Then life went on, I got a real job and $25 seemed like such a piddly amount. If I saw something at the store for $25, I would think "That isn't much, I'll get it." Now I seem to have come full circle. We are supporting a family of 5 on one salary and every penny counts. Those $25 purchases add up all too quickly and become a lot of money.
What is my point? I can't say that I really have one. Mostly I just felt like sharing my thoughts on life and how it always seems to come full circle.

Happy Valentine's Day to all our friends and family!

Surfing

2008-02-03T11:15:00.001-10:00

Going In
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

Yesterday Ryan got the opportunity to participate in AccesSurf Hawaii. This is a unique and wonderful program for people with disabilities. The program provides one-on-one surfing partners and specialized equipment to people with disabilities. It is designed so that all people are able to access the water. The volunteers are extremely patient and understanding with all the participants. I am so excited that Ryan had this opportunity. The program meets on the first Saturday of each month, so we definitely plan to continue taking Ryan.
We went with one of our neighbors who also has children with disabilities. Ryan was very excited to go with his friend. At first he was nervous, but he gave it his all. I think in the end he was very proud of himself! Click here to see all the pics.

Wisdom Teeth

2008-02-02T15:32:00.000-10:00

All I have to say about getting my wisdom teeth removed - It sucks!!! I am tired of being in pain, working my schedule around taking pain pills. I am tired of living off a liquid diet (or really smooshy foods). I realize that when it is all over I will feel much better and the daily pain and pressure will be gone, but it still sucks. If any of you out there reading this have not had yours removed...get it done before you are 30!

Grammy's Visit - Day 3

2008-01-30T20:30:00.000-10:00

Day 3, our last day of sightseeing, started off by my neighbor not being able to watch Hailey and David, so my mom and I took them with us to the Arizona Memorial. My biggest fear was trying to sit through the movie. David is really into airplanes now, and I could just hear him shouting out "Airplane, airplane" during the attack.

Our run of not so good luck continued when we pulled into the parking lot as 3 tour buses were unoading their passengers for the Memorial visit. I saw the line and knew we wouldn't be able to get into the tour right away. So now, not only do we have to try and keep the kids quiet through the movie, but we have to keep them entertained for an hour while we wait. There were so many people there that we didn't get to go into the museum either. We walked around and saw as much as we could. One perk though, we got to see a double rainbow arcing down into Pearl Harbor. Definitely not something you can see everyday.

Our turn finally came up and we went in to watch the movie. Hailey did really well, she was getting sleepy so she spent most of the time on my lap. David though, was up and down, yelling out "Airplane", just as I had feared. We tried to bribe him with a lollipop, but was only mimimally successful. From there we took the boat ride over to the actual Memorial. It is always a sobering experience. I highly recommend it to those who have not gone.

After our visit to the Arizona Memorial, we went to lunch. Then we drove over to Ford Island to see the new USS Oklahoma Memorial and historic flight tower. Last but not least, we stopped at one of the scenic overlooks on the side of the highway near the front entrance to our base. It was a beautiful ending to an overall enjoyable day. Click here to see all the pics from Grammy's visit.

Grammy's Visit - Day 2

2008-01-28T17:12:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was another fun filled day with Grammy. First we headed for the Macademia Nut Farm. Despite its name, this is not just an agricultural site. We took the tour that includes learning about native plants, but also involves past Hawaiian traditions. We learned about the blowing of the conk shell, making fire, fire dancing, getting into a coconut, and the many uses of the coconut. Then we went on a boat ride through the man made ponds built by the King's warriors several hundred years ago. The tour also includes many past movie sets and the ever popular series "Lost".

After our tour we headed north along the coast. Its a beautiful trip and well worth the extra time it takes. Of course we had to stop at Romy's shrimp shack. They have the yummiest fresh shrimp around. Grammy wasn't too thrilled that they still had their heads and legs though. I have to say, although lunch was tasty, it was quite the adventure with the little ones. Not to mention that it is still estremely windy and we had to battle that while we ate.

We continued our trip up the coast to Haleiwa Town. We took Grammy to Matsumoto's for shave ice. Again, very yummy! For all you mainlanders, there is a big difference between shave ice and a snow cone. When we first got here I didn't understand it, but once you've tried one you understand. They are so smooth.

On the way home we went through the central part of the island which is much quicker. We were very glad to be out of the car and hang around the house. Just before dinner, Ryan took Grammy on a walk down the hill to the beach by the house. They enjoyed spending some time together with just the two of them. This isn't always easy for Ryan with Hailey and David demanding so much attention.

Click here to see the pics from our visit so far. I will add pics from Day 3 as soon as I can. Unfortunately, tomorrow I am having my wisdom teeth taken out, so I won't be up to doing much for a bit.

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Grammy's visit - Day 1

2008-01-26T20:31:00.001-10:00

Almost the whole crew
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

Yeah! Grammy finally came to visit. She got in late last night after flying for about 10 hours.
Today we went hiking up to Makapu'u Lighthouse. We were hoping to see some of the whales swimming around below. The mountain overlooks their breeding grounds. Unfortunately, it was very windy and the water was very choppy, so we didn't spot any. We had a nice time anyway and my mom got to see a lot of the beauty Hawaii is famous for.
After the hike we headed to Honolulu for lunch at Wahoo's. Very very yummy if you ever get a chance to eat at one. Then we went on a driving tour of Honolulu and the Waikiki strip. The traffic was horrible and made for a not so pleasant ending to our adventures. But at least now Grammy can say that she has been there. :)
The rest of the day was spent playing with the kiddos. They are so excited to have Grammy here and are constantly competing for her attention.

Putt-Putt

2008-01-09T11:00:00.000-10:00

Yesterday Joseph came home early from work, so we decided to get the kids out of the house for a while and play putt-putt. As you can see, fun was had by all!
David occasionally tried to hit the ball, but mostly just had fun putting the ball in the hole and clapping.Ryan was relaxed and enjoyed not playing for a score this time. Usually he gets pretty frustrated when he doesn't do well.
Hailey actually tried to hit the ball around. Daddy tried to teach her how, but little miss independent wanted to do it herself!

A New Year

2007-12-31T14:59:00.000-10:00

From our family to yours....

We hope you have a very wonderful 2008!

Christmas with the Sting Rays

2007-12-27T22:12:00.001-10:00

Splash
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

Ok, its really not as strange as it sounds. For Christmas this year we knew that Ryan was already going to get a lot of toys from other people, so Joseph and I decided to get him something different. We bought him a ticket for the Sting Ray Encounter at Sea Life Park. This way, not only would Ryan get an experience to remember, but we would also get a fun day out as a family.

We watched a sea lion show, a dolphin show and went to a hands on exhibit before Ryan did his encounter. He was sooooo excited to go! Once we got there at our reserved time, we found out that we were in luck. The other two people that were going to participate decided to go to an earlier encounter. That meant that Ryan got a one-on-one encounter with Molly the instructor. Not only that, but it was a very cloudy day which made the rays more friendly and active. Of course, once Ryan was actually there, he became a little apprehensive. Especially when the instructor told him that there were 2 white tip reef sharks in the water too. After spending some time in the water and watching Molly touch the rays, Ryan was able to relax some and touch the rays himself. He didn't even freak out when the sharks decided to swim a little closer! Click here to see all of the pictures.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-26T12:00:00.000-10:00

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family. We missed you all very much!

We had a nice simple Christmas here in the land of Aloha. It all started on Sunday night when we made cookies for Santa. Hailey was very excited for him to come to "her" house. I think she was expecting to see him.

On Christmas Eve I cooked a big dinner for us and we all pigged out on turkey. After dinner Joseph and Ryan cleaned up the kitchen while Hailey, David and I brought all the presents out. I had been keeping them in a separate room with the door closed so that they would stay wrapped and in one piece. David had already proven that he couldn't resist wrapped presents! Once all the cleanup was complete we let the kids pick a present to open. Hailey and I put out the cookies, carrots and milk. Then it was time for bed. Santa can't come if you're not sleeping, you know.

Christmas morning came very quickly! The kids were up and ready to go around 6:00 am. The morning can pretty much be summed up by saying that excitement and chaos reigned in our living room. I think it is safe to say that everyone is happy with all they received! Click here to check out our pictures.

David's First Haircut

2007-12-10T09:08:00.000-10:00

We finally went out and got David's fro chopped. It was getting quite unruly and long overdue.
All in all, he did much better than I thought he would. Most of the time he was all smiles and playing in the mirror. He only cried once when I had to hold his head down for the hairdresser to get the back of his neck. His hair was so long that we took off an inch all around!

Before:

Getting ready:

During:
After:
Look at my handsome young man now!

Anniversary Time

2007-12-07T12:43:00.000-10:00

It's that time of year again when Joseph and I get to celebrate being happily married for another year. This year we kept it simple and had a quiet dinner at home. Ok, well it wasn't really quiet since we do have three children, but you get the idea. And of course we didn't get to spend the whole evening together because Joseph had to go back in to work. At least we were together!
After reflecting a bit we realized that we are now at 50-50 for being together on our anniversary. Next year he should be home too, so we'll actually be averaging more together time. Yeah!
Speaking of being together, this also means we get to actually celebrate Joseph's birthday next week, Christmas and New Years! It has definitely been a while since we were together for all of these events. I better stop now, though. I don't want to jinx us.

Blues on the Bay 2007

2007-10-18T08:17:00.001-10:00

TIght
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

This past weekend we spent a lot of time at Blues on the Bay, an airshow here on base. The highlight of the show being the world famous Blue Angels.

Anticipation and excitement were running rampant around the house and base. Before the airshow even started, the Blue Angels were flying around the base each day practicing for their show. All the kids in the neighborhood would run around the houses trying to catch every trick and formation they did. Joseph would drive down to the hangers where our neighbor works, to try and see the planes and meet some of the show's pilots.

A little background, Joseph used to go to the airshow every year with his buddies Shawn, Matt, and Curt. They looked forward to it every year and would often try to get up to the BLue Angels. Of course Joseph had to continue this endevor. The only thing different this time, was that he was successful! Joseph was finally able to claim bragging rights and have his picture taken touching the plane!

On Friday the show was only open to military families. Now, when I say show, I don't just mean watching airplanes and helos. There were planes, helos, parachuters, every imaginable type of military vehicle, booths for local businesses, the PD, carnival rides, food..... We went Friday to see all the exhibits and get our souvenirs, so we wouldn't have to wait in long lines when it was open to the public. The kids all had a blast! On Saturday we went back to watch the show.

It was incredible! We got to see Patty Wagstaff, probably the best female stunt pilot in the world. (Unfortunately, this was the one autograph Joseph really wanted, but wasn't able to get.) The Red Bull helocopter, one of only a few helos that can fly upside down. OF course the Blue Angels were spectacular. It is truly death defying how close they fly to each other!

In the end, we were able to get several autographs (for my side of the family, #4 Blue Angel pilot is a WInkler) and some nice souvenirs to remember the weekend. I think it is safe to say that we all had fun and the kids will hopefully remember this for a while. Click here or on the Blue Angels to see more pictures.

Camping

2007-10-09T08:08:00.001-10:00

Lighting the fire
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler

A couple weeks ago we decided to go on a family campout. We chose a spot at the Hale Koa Beach campground on base here, packed up the kiddos (and almost the entire contents of the house it seemed like) and headed off.
We had a fun and relaxing time, but of course it was not without mishaps. At one point we thought Ryan had drowned out by the reef. He had gone out swimming around while Hailey and David were napping. Joseph was "studying" and dozing off while I walked the beach. I came back to our site to grab a snack and watch Ryan swim. By the time I got my food and turned my chair, he was gone. I waited a few seconds, thinking he had just gone under the water and would be back up for a breath any time. No Ryan. I started going back down the beach, No Ryan. I called back to Joseph, "Where's Ryan?" By this time I was getting a little concerned. The place is not big and I could pretty much see everything from the beach at our site. I asked a couple of people on the beach by where Ryan was if they had seen a boy come out of the water. Neither of them had. Now I was really concerned. Pictures of my dead son started flashing through my head. Joseph grabbed his flippers and mask to go out searching, he was in lifeguard mode now. I turned around to stay by Hailey and David while Joseph went out, when I spotted Ryan. He had wandered off to someone else's campsite. A stranger's campsite at that. Needless to say, I was relieved, but still very upset. I don't think I could accurately articulate to Ryan what he had put us through.
The rest of the day, fortunately, passes without any more major events. Come nightfall, however, we quickly learned that next time we will not choose a campsite next to a big pavilion. A big group had reserved it along with several adjoining campsites, probably about 30 people in all. They were having a grand time, complete with drinking and a karaoke machine. If it had just been me and Joseph, no problem. But my kids really didn't enjoy having to listen to drunken Bette Midler and Supremes songs while they were trying to sleep.
All in all though, a good weekend. I think we all look forward to our next campout. Click here or on the picture to see the rest of the photos.

Time Away

2007-09-24T08:01:00.000-10:00

Joseph and I finally got to go out on another date Saturday. We rounded up our neighbors son to watch the kids and headed out on the bike.

It was my turn to pick where we went so I opted for a ride along the coast up to North Shore and stopping at Romy's for lunch. If you've never been here before, Romy's is one of several roadside shrimp shacks. You have the option of ordering your shrimp or prawns already cooked or you can go and catch your own. Romy's, though, in my opinion has the biggest yummiest shrimp. Your mouth can't help but start watering the minute you smell them cooking.

After lunch we continued our ride up to North Shore. We took a short stop to take in some views and a coke before heading back home.

On the way back home we stopped at another stand to buy a fresh pineapple. Someone once told me that you can find the best pineapples at these roadside stands near North Shore, and they were soooo right.

Of course the day was not totally without incident. While we were stopped for pineapple, I got a call from Alex our babysitter. It seems that Hailey had ripped up one of the library books. I told him not to worry about it and asked if the kids had taken naps. He told me "No, I asked them if they wanted to go night-night and they told me no." Gotta love them!

Next up...family adventures around the island. I will post more as soon as the kids let me get back on the computer.

New Pics

2007-09-13T08:44:00.000-10:00

I finally added some new pics to flickr. I took the kids to the beach one day just to get these. Of course the pictures I wanted, that I had in my head, never happened, but I did get some really good shots. This one is my favorite. Click here to see the others.

What? When? Where? Finally answered

2007-09-10T11:15:00.001-10:00

The news finally arrived this morning.

We have learned that our waiver to leave the island early was denied. We will not be going anywhere for at least a year. This also means that we will not be going back to Pendleton. By the time we leave here, that unit will already be deployed again.

On the bright side, this gives all of you plently of time to plan your visit to come and see us. lol

New Pictures

2007-08-02T17:27:00.000-10:00

Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will find new pictures on slideshows.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2007-08-02T13:18:00.000-10:00

Well, the good news is...our laptop is fixed and the USB ports are finally working. This means I can post pictures again!. Yeah!!

The bad news is...Joseph had to reinstall Windows to fix it. It wiped out everything we had on the computer! We hadn't been able to back it up on our external hard drive since we couldn't use the USB ports.

The ugly...some things were irreplacable, like Joseph's pictures from Iraq.

No Computer

2007-07-21T09:13:00.000-10:00

We're finally taking the laptop in to get fixed. I'm not sure how long it will take. We'll let you know when we have computer access again.

Check out the New Links

2007-07-20T12:46:00.000-10:00

I've recently added some new links on the side.

My parents have decided to join the blogging world and share their new adventures of moving to and living in Texas. (They would be Grammy and Paw-Paw). They are loving the time they get to spend with grandkids now!
Joseph and I have also added new MySpace pages. Joseph created his mainly to see what all the hulabaloo is about. I created mine mostly to keep up with other military friends who move frequently. I have decided to make my page all about me, a place where I can be creative, silly and focus on my likes and friends.

Not to worry, I will still be blogging here! This blog will still be about us and our family. We love being able to share our lives with all our family and friends, though they may be far away. We will be taking the laptop in this weekend to get fixed, so hopefully soon I will be able to post pictures again.

Coming Full Circle

2007-07-13T08:50:00.000-10:00

We finally have more definitive word on when and where we are going.

We know that we are headed back to Camp Pendleton, California. Joseph will be assigned to 1st LAR, the same unit he has been with twice before. As of right now, the moniter is planning on giving him a report date in January. This said, we plan on taking 30 - 45 days leave before he has to start working. If everything goes as planned, we should be leaving here somewhere in the November time frame. Joseph should be getting his official orders and report date sometime in the middle of August.

We'll keep you updated.

2007-07-03T15:34:00.000-10:00

The Waiting Game

2007-06-26T20:58:00.000-10:00

I've come to realize that I am not very good at the waiting game. I've tried to be patient waiting for Joseph to get orders, but it is driving me nuts. Where are we going? When are we leaving? What do I take? What do I get rid of?

Joseph tells me that I would be stationed in Cuba by now if I pestered the moniter as much as I pester him about it.

I know that many of you are waiting to hear as well. Joseph e-mailed the moniter today and got an automated reply back that he is out of the office until July 9th, so it will be at least until then before we hear anything.

Back to the waiting game...

2007-06-17T09:32:00.000-10:00

Happy Father's Day!

I know I don't always say it, but dad I love you and miss you!!!

Technical Difficulties

2007-06-10T20:59:00.000-10:00

The computer is broken, again. So once again I am stuck using Joseph's laptop. I would just like to say that this sucks. I can't post pictures, I can't print, I can't access anything of mine except e-mail.
Now I do realize that my computer is getting old and very outdated, but it has stuck with me through so much. We went to college together, we started teaching together. It's like an old friend that I don't want to part with.
The other downside is that we cannot afford a new computer. In order to do that, Joseph will have to deploy again. Hmmm, new computer or have my hubby? Anybody want to donate one?

2007-06-04T10:31:00.000-10:00

My computer is finally fixed. Yeah!!!! I can now return to our regularly scheduled blogging...

Ryan graduated another year in Cub Scouts and became a Webelo this weekend! He is so proud of himself. We had a great time camping this weekend with the whole family and watching the crossover ceremony.

Flashback to Mother's Day - I realize that this was a while ago, but it did take awhile for the computer to get up and running again. I had a very nice day. I got some alone time getting pampered with a manicure and pedicure, then I enjoyed going to the aquarium with the whole family. It's one of the few places all the kids enjoy without constant whining. What more could I ask for?! (Note to my family: notice "Little George", he's got the posture and facial expressions down pat!)

2007-05-12T20:45:00.000-10:00

To All My Family and Friends who are moms:

Happy Mother's Day!

I love you and miss you mom!!!!

Random Thoughts

2007-05-09T19:48:00.000-10:00

Joseph and I went to visit the Arizona Memorial last week. Ryan was in school so we just took the two little ones. Needless to say I will have to return without children. I'm very glad that I finally got to go, but it is pretty much impossible to focus on anything while trying to keep 2 small children quiet and reined in.

On Saturday we found a new museum, the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor. Very Cool! Even Ryan didn't complain about not being home to play with friends. (CLick here or on the flickr badge to see pics from both trips)

David is now into pulling stuff out of the trash and putting stuff in. Unfortunately, the other day he had fun with a poopy diaper and smearing the contents all over the kitchen floor. (This pic is also on flickr.) Ok, so I can understand this from an 11 month old. Yesterday I was looking at our pics on flickr to see if anyone had made a comment. I saw that most of our pictures only had 1 view. Except the poopy diaper. There were 97 views! What is up people? What is so fascinating about a poopy diaper? Are there that many people who like to see poop?

Ryan had to give up wrestling. It was getting too difficult for him to keep up with his school work and I wasn's having the time to sit down and help him with his homework. He enjoyed it, but its also been a big relief to him now that he doesn't have so much pressure on him to do well in everything.
David is very excited about walking!
Hailey loves dressing up like daddy!

We made another trip to the emergency room today and Joseph will probably never let Hailey live this one down. He had taken some pain medication and was laying on the floor resting. Hailey, Ryan (who came home early with a migraine) and I had just gotten home, so she was very excited to see daddy. She went right up to him, plopped down in the middle of his chest and kneed him in his broken shoulder. It goes without saying that Joseph was in a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he felt like something had gotten knocked out of place so it was off to the ER for a few hours with all the kiddos. Fun right? The good news is that they said nothing was out of place.

May 11 is Military Spouse's Day. Mark it on your calender. Hats off to all my friends and family who, like me, are married to a member of our Armed Forces. It's not easy, but it is something to be proud of!

I'm sure there's lots more to tell, but that's all I can think of right now. Click on the flickr badge on the side, I have put a lot of new pictures on there. Remember, only 4 more days until Mother's Day.

Only in Hawaii ...

2007-04-30T15:50:00.001-10:00

Mr. Turkey Spam
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

This Saturday we packed up the kiddos and headed to Waikiki for the annual Spam Jam. I figure only in Hawaii can you experience an entire festival dedicated to canned meat.

There is music, beer, mascots, t-shirts and of course..Spam! Several local Waikiki restaurants put forth their culinary talents to entice your tastebuds and create delectable treats made with Spam.

Now I can understand the Strawberry Festival in CA and apple picking festival in MO, but why Spam? What is it about this canned processed meat product that entitles an entire celebration? I don't really have an answer. It's found everywhere here. Even McDonald's serves Spam for breakfast.

I am sure that you are all wondering how the food was, were our tastebuds tricked into thinking they were eating a fresh cooked meal? I hate to say it, but no. We cheated and ducked into a nice restaurant. However, there is always next year...

Correction

2007-04-25T10:33:00.000-10:00

Ok, I was informed by my wonderful hubby that it is not correct termonology to say that he spilled the bike. So I will say that he rolled the bike and kissed the asphalt!

Irony

2007-04-24T10:05:00.000-10:00

Ok, I have been trying for days to post the rest of the story. However, due to unforseen events and accidents it has not been possible. So here is the long story made short:

Joseph came home, as you know by now, on Tuesday April 10th. We are all very excited to have him back in our lives. Hailey has actually started turning into a daddy's girl now. It is soooo cute.
Wednesday was a little hectic with Joseph checking into work, Ryan going to school and going out to welcome back another plane load of Marines.
Thursday started Joseph's 4 day leave block, so of course he spent the day cleaning up his motorcycle and putting it all back together. This meant running out for parts and hours of scrubbing at the rust build up. Then we had therapy and wrestling practice. In a nutshell, crazy hectic. We finally got the kids put down to bed around 8 and Joseph was off to the barracks to check on his Marines. Unfortunately, he didn't even make it 20 ft up the street before he spilled the bike. The front tire did some wild wobbling, jerked his hand on the accelerator and rolled over. The good news is that his shoulder took the brunt of the fall. The bad news is that the collar bone was shattered. Needless to say, we got to spend the majority of the night in the emergency room.
Welcome home!
Since then Joseph has had surgery to put a plate on the collar bone and pieced it back together. This has also become Hailey's favorite topic of conversation, "Daddy owie".
Well, as typical the baby has woken up and started screaming as soon as mommy tries to write. Click on our flickr badge on the side to see some recent pics of everybody.

2007-04-14T16:31:00.000-10:00

I don't think there are really words to describe how we all feel now. The big smiles on our faces can tell the story.
I will tell the whole story and more, plus pictures soon. Unfortunately, life hasn't slowed down a bit since Joseph got back.

Today is the Day!!!

2007-04-10T04:51:00.000-10:00

Today is the day! We are finally into counting down the hours until Joseph gets home.!!!!
YEAH!
The house is clean, the sign is hung, the nice clothes are all layed out... Now we try and pass these last few hours. It feels as though they drag on almost as long as these last 7 months. Ok maybe not quite that bad, but they seem to last forever.

Wrestle Mania

2007-04-01T20:46:00.001-10:00

Rolling
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ryan had his first wrestling meet this weekend. It started with the excitement and nervousness of anticipation, but ended with a growing sense of pride and accomplishment.

A little background:
Ryan joined a wrestling team here on base this past month. They compete against other teams around the island and occasionally other islands. They compete in Freestyle Wrestling. This means that they do not have to pin their opponent, but can win by points. Different moves that they do can score from 1 to 3 points.
During the meet, each child wrestles 3 rounds against 3 different opponents. Each round has 3 one minute periods. The object is to get 6 points or have the most points at the end of the period. Best 2 out of 3 wins the round.

Ryan only won 1 of his three rounds this weekend, but he wrestled very well. He stayed focused on what he was doing and gave it his all! He has already figured out some things that he is doing well and some things he needs to work on. I know that I am very proud of him!!!

Click on the picture or the flickr badge on the side to see more pictures from the meet.

Flickr

2007-04-01T20:31:00.001-10:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

2007-03-24T19:57:00.000-10:00

I keep getting the same question from many friends and family members..."Are you ok? We haven't heard from you in a while." I apologize for not keeping up with phone calls and e-mails. Unfortunately, life does lend me many opportunities to sit down and take time for me.

We have been trying to keep busy lately and do more fun things as a family again. Ryan has been on Spring Break for a week now and we have one week to go, so the fight against boredom reigns in our household. We have been to the beach a couple of times, the zoo and done a little shopping so far.

Ryan also competed in the annual Cub Scout derby car race last week. His car wasn't one of the top winners, but he did come home with a trophy. Each year we do this, I am finding out more tricks after the fact on how to make the car go faster. Maybe one of these years somebody who knows what they are doing can help him and he will actually have a winning car.

Hailey and David are doing well. They seem to be focusing on growing rapidly and causing mischief for mom. Its amazing how those little tricks to annoy parents get learned at such a young age. David went for his check-up last week and now weighs a whopping 22 lbs 7 oz. Pretty soon he'll be catching up to Hailey.

I am keeping busy by getting stuff ready for Hailey's birthday and Joe coming home. I know, the question on everyone's mind, When is Joe coming home? The answer is, I don't know. Right now we only have a window of dates. In about 2 weeks I will get a tentative date and time for his arrival, but it will be no later than 14 April.

I have added more pictures to our flickr site. If you click here or on the flickr badge on the side, you can see pictures of the kids and all their latest. Love to all!

It's All About Learning...

2007-02-21T11:20:00.000-10:00

Learning to sew...
Ryan machine stitched and stuffed a new pillow for his bed.Learning to climb...
David is now able to climb the whole flight of stairs. He is very proud of himself when he can sneak up a few before mommy catches him. Learning to manage the hair...
Or not. Hailey is the very definition of a bad hair day when she gets up in the morning.

My Valentine

2007-02-13T15:34:00.000-10:00

A poem to describe my Valentine, Joseph...

he loVes me unconditionally,
my confidAnt when I need an ear.
abLe to keep me laughing,
evEn when I am blue.
woNderful daddy to all our three,
sTrong of mind, body and soul,
faIthful in every sort of way.
oNe of a kind,
my bEst friend!

I love you sweety!

The Absent Blogger

2007-02-11T22:11:00.000-10:00

Yes, I do realize that it has been about 2 months since I last wrote. To be honest, January was not a good month for me. My days have been filled with sick, crabby, crying, clingy, mischievious children. I feel like I just go from situation to situation and never really get a handle on anything.
All right, enough bitching...

Amidst our daily chaos, we have managed to have a little bit of fun. We went to visit the Macademia Nut Farm. This is a must see if you ever come to visit. Not only do they grow a variety a native fruits and plants, they also teach you about Hawaiian traditions. In addition, many different movies and shows were filmed here, including: Along Came Polly, 50 First Dates, Gilligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Tears of the Sun...just to name a few. Our tour guide was hilarious and informative at the same time. This is him here demonstrating fire dancing. Click here to see more pictures from this adventure.

We have also gone on a couple of hikes. The first one was here on base, hiking around the ponds looking for wildlife. We went right at dusk hoping to see more wildlife activity. We did manage to see a few critters, the highlight of which was a baby hammerhead shark. It was swimming up one of the channels that leads to the creeks on base. Sometimes we see fish jumping out of the water to get away from the sharks. This is one of the birds we saw. I'm not sure what kind it is, but I really love the way the picture turned out with the reflection. Click here to see some other animals we saw.

Our other hike was up to the Mokapu'u Lighthouse to go whale watching. This hike requires a lot of patience, which none of my children seem to have. It took quite a while before Ryan was able to spot the white water spouting up amidst all the blue. He was extremely frustrated. Once he did finally see them, I think he found the hike more worthwhile. We were able to hear the whales blowing the water too! Click here to see the pictures of this hike.

All in all the last five months have been very challenging. I cannot express enough how happy I am that Joseph will be returning in April. I will then have my best friend, partner and lover again. A shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and arms to hug me.

Butler Family Christmas

2006-12-18T19:22:00.000-10:00

More presents
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

We celebrated our family Christmas this weekend, just me and the kids. It made more sense to do it before we go to St. Louis, so we don't have to haul the same presents back and forth. Of course Santa will still visit us in St. Louis. He's much too busy to come all the way to Hawaii early just for one family.
The kids had a good time of course, there was no delay in playing with new toys. The great thing is, they are enjoying each other's gifts too.
Hailey spends half her time following Ryan and his friends. She wants to be one of the "big" kids. The other half of the time is spent taking over David's things. I believe that if she had it her way, everything would be considered hers.
David enjoyed sampling all the Christmas bows from the packages. The sticker part was especially tasty. The toys were neat too, but not nearly as yummy.
Ryan was very excited to get a new set of cammies that fit him and a machine gun to match. According to him, it sounds just like the real thing. He is also making good use of his "Bug Vacuum" and habitat. Pretty soon our house will be completely bug free!
Click on the picture above to see some more pictures from our special Christmas.
Lots of love to all! Mele Kalikimaka

Growing Up

2006-12-13T20:55:00.000-10:00

Here are my three beautiful children!

I cannot believe how fast they are growing up. Ryan is turning into a young adolescent, not the naive little kid anymore. Hailey is becoming a little girl with her own independent personality, not just a needy toddler. And David isn't my little infant anymore, he's my big chubby baby on the go.

Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and enjoy these days. They don't last forever and I know the day will come when I wish they were this little again.

ABCs of Thanks by Ryan and Mommy

2006-11-24T08:34:00.000-10:00

Airplanes, to take us home and see family
Books to read
Clothes to wear
David James
Education, so we not be dumb
Friends who cheer me up when I am down
Grandparents who spoil the little ones
Hailey Elizabeth
In-laws who call and check on me
Joseph, for all his love and defending our freedom
Kids who fill the house with happy sounds
Laughter, the best kind of medicine
Marines to protect us
Nightlights to keep away the scary monsters
Oceans, so we can have fun at the beach
Parents to take care of us
Quilts to keep us snuggly warm
Ryan Christopher
Shelter, can’t beat a rent free 4 bedroom house in Hawaii
Toys ‘cause they are fun to play with
Unselfish sacrifice given by our military members
Very special mommy (that’s me!)
Warm weather, can’t beat doing Thanksgiving outside
Xtra helpings of food, that means we have enough to eat
Yearly visits from Santa, to remind us what its like to be a kid
Zoos that protect animals

Splish, Splash! A Big Boy Bath!

2006-11-01T10:51:00.000-10:00

On Sunday David took his first big boy bath! He and sissy had so much fun together. They gave kisses, shared toys and of course Hailey had to pour water on her little brother. He's still a little wobbly in the seat, but he kept trying to roll out of the baby bathtub.

Our little baby is growing soooo fast, I can't even really say he's our little baby anymore. Yesterday he had his well baby checkup at the doctor. He now weighs 18lbs 2ozs and is 27 in long! That puts him in the 90th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. Fortunately he seems to be getting healthier too. No more roseola.

Time to Vent

2006-10-24T12:34:00.000-10:00

All right, I apogize in advance to anyone who doesn't want to hear a little whining. Too bad!
I am so tired! I am getting very frustrated and impatient with sick, crabby kids. All of the children have apparently conspired to take turns getting sick. Once one starts to feel better and start sleeping at night again, another one has to pick up a virus! David alone now is teething, has an upper respiratory infection, thrush and roseola. And he's still the happiest of the bunch. I need a magic wand to make everyone happy and healthy again. I think Madi, the girl I babysit, is the most frustrating of the bunch. She's a redhead, which should just explain everything about her temperment. When she gets to not feeling well, gets sleepy, gets hungry, gets looked at funny, somebody walks by her.... she screams. Sometimes its the "eh, eh, eh", but usually its the ear-piercing high pitched girly scream. I just want to rip out my hair and scream myself by the end of the day!
On top of this, I have the daily worry about Joseph. This deployment has been much more difficult than the last one. I find myself constantly looking out the window and listening for knocks at the door. I daily check the casualty list, like an old person checking the obits for people I know.
Last week was the hardest so far. Unfortunately, one of my friends did lose her husband, who was in the same company as Joseph. She is now a widow in her early 20's, with a 15 month old daughter and a son on the way. It breaks my heart that these children will never know their daddy, never have a memory of their own of his love for them. I can't help but keep thinking about my own family and how will we deal with the same situation if it happens to Joseph. How will I ensure that his children know who he is and how much he loves them? Everyday we look at his pictures and talk about him. We wave to "da da" and say "I love you daddy!" We pray for his safe return.

Meet Me in St. Louis

2006-10-16T21:59:00.000-10:00

We had a great time on our recent visit to St. Louis. It was great to see the many friends and family that sacrificed their time to come and see us at Grammy and Paw-Paw's house. I'm sorry to say that Hailey just wasn't quite as thrilled as the rest of us. My darling little angel has decided that mommy is her one and only.
I have to say the trip was quite exhausting as well. It's definitely not easy traveling with 3 children through multiple airports and back-to-back 6 hour flights. (Either I am really brave or really stupid, but we'll be doing it again at Christmas time.)
Due to our recent earthquake and power outages, I am busy getting caught up on housework and chores that I wasn't able to get done over the weekend. So unfortunately I don't have much time to write. However, I was able to upload many pictures onto flickr. Click here to check out more pictures.
Lots of Love to All!

A Quicky

2006-09-28T12:34:00.000-10:00

Ok, I realize I've been seriously slacking since Joseph left. Sooo...here's a quick update. I promise I will put more pics up after we get back from St. Louis.

Me: I'm doing ok, most days. Some days I'm about to lose my mind. I'm babysitting another 1 year old girl, who is, to put it politely, a drama queen. On the bright side, I'm so busy with the kids that the days fly by. Before I know it 7 months will be over!

Ryan: Ryan has been very involved in Cub Scouts lately. He's been working on his Achievements as well as selling popcorn. The first quarter ends today for him at school, so we will be getting a report card soon. He seems to be adjusting to dad being gone. He has been working with the therapist to learn how to express his feelings. His favorite pasttime is still running around outside playing "Marines".

Hailey: Hailey is full of spit and vinegar as usual. She has become quite the climber around the house. Last week she decided to climb up on the dresser and make a snack out of Desitin diaper cream. She continues to be a little "mother hen" to David too. Any time he gets upset she likes to bring him something, eg. blanket, teddy bear or pacifier. She is also enjoying doing girly stuff now. Each week we spend time doing "pretty girl toes".

David: This boy can eat! He doesn't seem to be slowing down any in his growth. I weighed him today at the doctor and he weighs 16 lbs 12 oz! He is now able to roll over from tummy to back, push his chest off the floor and sit with support. He is also working on his 2 bottom teeth, which will hopefully make an appearance soon.

Joseph: I got an e-mail the other day. Joseph says that he is doing well, but extremely busy. He comes back each day mentally and physically drained. He did say too, however, that he loves what he is doing!

Goodbye Daddy

2006-09-13T17:06:00.000-10:00

Today was a sad day. I don't think there are any eloquent words that would describe it better. Joseph left for Iraq today and won't return until sometime in April. I can't describe how hard it is to watch your loved one leave, not knowing exactly where he is going or how long he will be gone.
It was also a day of relief in a way. The goodbyes are over. We have known for a while that this day was coming, the anticipation building with each month, week, day. Now the day has come and gone and we can begin our homecoming countdown. The anticipation can begin anew, this time to when we can say hello again.
The kids are handling this the best that they can. Of course Ryan is dealing with it the hardest since he has a better understanding of what is going on, but is still unable to accurately express his emotions. Hailey and David don't have a clue. It was heartbreaking to watch Joseph telling Hailey that he was leaving for a long time then ask her for a kiss. She just smiled at him and played bashful.

Joseph, my wonderful husband and loving daddy, we love you and miss you! We can't wait to hear from you and see you again. You are in our daily thoughts and prayers. Please be safe! XOXOXOXO from all of us!

Family Portrait Time

2006-09-02T09:45:00.000-10:00

The Whole Family
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

We finally went and had updated family pictures taken. The last time we did this we were only a family of 3, so obviously its been a while. In the spirit of living in the Aloha State we donned Hawaiian costumes for the rest of the pictures. (Click on the family picture to see the others)

Family Time

2006-09-02T09:16:00.000-10:00

2 Curious Kiddos
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ok, I realize that I have been seriously slacking in keeping up to date on the blog. We've been really busy trying to spend as much family time together as we can before Joseph leaves in a week and a half.
We've taken the opportunity to do a bit more exploring around the island. We've discovered several remote beaches where there aren't many people, beaches where the water is perfectly calm like a lake and one of our most favorite Turtle Beach. The sea turtles come up on the beach and swim around your legs in the water! These pictures aren't zoomed in at all. The turtles were right next to me! We have also visited a Greek Festival and a Water Polo/Surfing Lifeguard Competition. (Check out the rest of our pics on flickr.)
I have to say that we've had a lot of fun, but it is bittersweet fun knowing that the reason we have had more time to do stuff is because Joseph is leaving soon.

Bragging Rights

2006-08-07T09:13:00.000-10:00

Here's my most handsome and growing little boy!!!

Movie Star Wannabe

2006-08-07T09:06:00.000-10:00

Here's my budding little dramatist!

Third Grader

2006-08-04T21:08:00.000-10:00

Last Friday Ryan had his first day of school. He is in third grade now!
I can't believe how the time has flown. I remember walking him to the bus stop for his first day of kindergarten and trying not to let him see me crying. I remember how handsome he looked in his cap and gown graduating from kindergarten. I remember all the "rough" days in first grade and how patient his teacher was. I remember him learning to read and his excitement in learning to count to 1000. He has now moved on to multiplication and cursive handwriting.
I only hope that his enthusiasm for learning doesn't diminish over the years. He has become such an intelligent, handsome young man!

A Day at the Beach

2006-07-27T10:26:00.000-10:00

A Day at the Beach
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ok, my sister's newly founded photography business has gotten me inspired to see what my camera can actually do. Soooo ... I finally opened the instruction manuel that came with it. I was excited to see the possibilities!
We went on one last family outing to the beach before school starts and Joe's training schedule gets too hectic again. I took the opportunity to play around with the camera some. Check out the pics on flickr and let me know what you think.

Cub Scout Hike to Maunawili Falls

2006-07-27T10:19:00.000-10:00

Maunawili Falls Hike 004
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ryan, his best friend Giuseppe, David and I went on a waterfall hike with Cub Scouts. The whole night before and throughout the day it poured on us, which made the hike a dream come true for all the boys!
The trail was slick and slippery with mud. We had to wade across creeks where the water was up to their waist. We had to scramble over big rocks. Then they got to swim in the pool and the base of the waterfall. It was paradise for them! and probably the only reason we didn't hear much whining on the 3 mile hike.
Only one person fell in the water... ok two if you count David.

I put more pics from the hike on flickr.

For the Love of Toilet Paper

2006-07-24T15:53:00.000-10:00

July 2006 008
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Recently I bought Hailey a potty chair, not that she has any inkling toward using it correctly though. I thought it would help get her used to it for when she is ready. She loves it! Every time I use the bathroom, she has to sit, stand or play in her potty too. It has become a great source of amusement. When we are both finished, we flush our potties. Hers makes actual flushing sounds, followed by music, and then a recording of whatever we choose to say. So after we flush we get to dance!
Brilliant me decided to see what Hailey would do if I put her little potty seat on the big potty. She loves this even more! She sat there for almost 1/2 an hour. Being the smart child that she is, she knows you are supposed to wipe when you sit on the big potty, so she decided that she needed toilet paper. You can see the end result of that!

Motorcycle Dudes

2006-07-21T13:20:00.000-10:00

Ryan's 1st Motorcycle Ride 004
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ryan went for his first motorcycle ride last night. He was both very excited and scared. Dad first showed him how to get on and where to put his hands and feet. Then they went over some do's and don'ts.
By this point Ryan was freaking out a bit. He kept saying, "I can't do this!" We didn't let him give up though and once they got going, he had a lot of fun. He was sooo proud of himself when they got back! He went around the neighborhood telling everybody about his ride. Next thing you know, the boys will be cruising around Waikiki picking up chicks.

Brotherly Love

2006-07-16T13:13:00.000-10:00

Brotherly Love
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Ryan and Hailey seem to be adjusting well to their new little brother. They both like to give him lots of love, sometimes not to his delight.

The Butler Keikis

2006-07-04T21:40:00.000-10:00

The Butler Keikis
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

This feat was like a bad joke...How many tries does it take for mommy to get one good picture of three children?

"Boot Camp" Birthday Bash

2006-07-02T10:42:00.000-10:00

Birthday Boy
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

I can't believe my baby has turned 8! Where have the years gone? It seems like just yesterday that he was my rambunctious little toddler. Now he is my energetic little man.
This year Ryan wanted a Marine themed birthday party, so I invented the "Boot Camp" Birthday Bash. The kids each wore their "greens" and did some PT during Sgt Says. Then, since Marines have to be able to get ready quickly, the kids divided up into 2 "platoons" and relayed getting dressed in cammies and running down the yard. Next they moved on to weapons. We used water guns to have target practice and they practiced throwing and aiming with water balloon grenades.
For lunch the kids picked out their favorite MRE. This was a hoot. Many of them had not ever had one before. It took a lot of patience to teach a dozen kids how to heat up their food without getting burned. (Lesson learned by mom - take the matches out before giving them to young children) One little girl especially loved being able to eat the same thing as her dad in Iraq. To continue with the theme, Ryan asked for his birthday cake to be decorated camouflage.
All in all it was a lot of fun and by the end of the day we were all exhausted!

Welcome David James!

2006-06-15T16:01:00.000-10:00

David James 059
Originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

The newest member of the Butler clan has finally arrived. David James was born on Tuesday June 6, 2006, (No comments about the date), at 5:07 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 5.9 ozs and was 20 1/2 in long.

The doctors agreed to induce me so that dad was able to see one of his children being born. The longer labor and increased pain was definitely worth the look on Joe's face! We started the Potosin at 9 am, then they broke my water around noon and I finally started pushing around 4:30 pm. After David arrived, Joe was able to cut the umbilical. (See the pic on Flickr)

Big brother and sister are very proud! Ryan has been able to hold him several times. Hailey likes to wave at him and rub his head. We are still working on doing it gently though. Fortunately for all of us, David is an excellent sleeper. I don't know how he can possibly sleep through Hailey's screaming, but he does.

I will put more pics up soon of all the kids.
Love to all!

The Beach Beauty and the Sand Monster

2006-04-21T15:44:00.000-10:00

Nothing really new to report from our side of the world. We work, go to school, play, eat, sleep, then get up and do it again the next day.
******************************************
I just wanted to take this opportunity to show off my kiddos....again.
Hailey didn't eat quite as much sand this trip to the beach. She actually enjoyed using her shovels and bucket and climbing into mommy's beach chair. Maybe I'll turn her into a bathing beach bum yet.
Ryan was hard carrying buckets of water to a hole he had dug, trying to make a ??? He was very frustrated when it kept getting absorbed into the sand. The frustration was short lived however, when I suggested we go treasure hunting down the beach. The tide was going out and leaving all sorts of things behind. He had the most fun trying to catch crabs that were quickly digging holes in the sand. Fortunately for the rest of us, the crabs were quicker than the Sand Monster.

No Bunny Poop Here

2006-04-17T13:52:00.000-10:00

No Bunny Poop Here, originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

Easter was a lot of fun this year! Ryan was very excited to discover that the Easter Bunny didn't leave just bunny poop. Hailey, although she didn't understand the concept, had lots of fun discovering chocolate, eggs and new toys.
I put many of the pictures on Flickr, but we took so many that I tried to just pick out some of the best ones.

Big Momma

2006-04-17T13:46:00.000-10:00

Big Momma, originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

For those of you who keep asking if I am getting big...here is your answer. I realize that I probably don't look that big, but I feel like a fat cow and I have begun the pregnancy waddle.

Little Monkeys

2006-04-10T20:37:00.000-10:00

Little Monkeys, originally uploaded by kurlybutler.

The kiddos seem to be growing up right before my eyes. It seems like over night Hailey has stopped being a baby and developed into a toddler. She and Ryan are now able to start being buddies and enjoy spending time together.
Each evening after dinner, Ryan takes his little sister out into the backyard and plays with her. He'll roll on the ground and let her "attack" him, play catch or climb up into playhouse with her. She loves it! I'll hear her squeals of delight as I'm cleaning up the kitchen.

Hailey's First Birthday!

2006-04-01T14:51:00.000-10:00

Ok folks, I am going to try something new with the photos. I signed up for flickr (like Jackie uses) and am attempting to put in a link for some of Hailey's birthday photos. Let me know how it works. I started with just a few until I get the hang of it.

We didn't do anything outrageous for Hailey this year, we decided it would be more meaningful (and less expensive) to just spend some quality family time together celebrating. Hailey enjoyed all of her presents and of course the cake.

www.flickr.com

More of kurlybutler's photos

Reflections of Pearl Harbor by Ryan

2006-04-01T14:02:00.000-10:00

Pearl Harbor is a place that the Japanese attacked. The Japanese wanted new land. They attatcked the US because the Navy stored planes and ships in Pearl Harbor. They knew the Navy could stop them. When the Japanese attacked they destroyed a lot of planes and ships. They killed thousands of soldiers. Today people go to remember those who died.

A Peek into the Butler Household...

2006-03-15T19:02:00.000-10:00

We really are all doing well here. Everyone is currently happy and healthy.

Ryan has settled into his new classroom well. He continues to get good grades and hasn't seemed to miss out on any academics. He has made lots of friends at school as well as around the neighborhood. His new best friend's name is Guisseppe. On weekends they are pretty much inseparable. His favorite thing about Hawaii is that the beaches are close and the weather is hot a lot!

Hailey is growing into quite a tempermental little girl. When she is unhappy she will scream and slam her fists down. I'm not sure where she learned that little trick, but hopefully it will pass as a phase. On a positive note, her new favorite trick is waving and saying "Hi" to everyone. We are looking forward to having a small family celebration when she turns 1 at the end of the month.

Joseph is back to work and busy as ever. He had a brief trip to Virginia earlier this month and then jumped right into a hectic training cycle. He loves his new Company, which is a blessing to hear after all the trials with 1st LAR. The next few months will be filled with different trainings and trips leading up to an Iraqui deployment in August/September.

I am growing bigger everyday it seems, though a lot of it is probably in my head. My energy seems to be waning again as I enter into the third trimester. If you are not aware already, we are having a boy this June and have decided to name him David James. (Ryan thinks its really cool that the whole family will have a brother David!) I have been spending my days unpacking the neverending stacks of boxes and trying to make all of our stuff fit into a smaller house.

I know this has been a very quick update. I will try hard to start posting regularly now that I have a working computer and I am not working all day long. Love to all!

Water, Water Everywhere

2006-03-15T18:56:00.000-10:00

Another popular island activity is nature tours. We decided to go on a waterfall tour that didn’t require too much hiking (mainly because Hailey’s backpack carrier wasn’t here yet and we didn’t feel like carrying her for hours). On the tour we visited 3 local waterfalls and learned a lot about the plants, animals and history of the island. Here’s a trivia question for everyone, what 2 mammals are the only ones indigenous to the island?

What we didn’t realize until after we went on the tour is that there are lots of temporary waterfalls all along the highway by us every time it rains. One day on the drive back from Honolulu, Ryan counted 39 waterfalls! Hopefully one day I can get a picture of them, but its really hard to stop since there is no shoulder on the side of the highway.

This waterfall is alongside a trail that goes from one side of the island to the other. It was used by Native Hawaiians to bring goods to and from the city before roads were built.

More Island Discoveries....

2006-03-15T17:07:00.000-10:00

Other than the beach we have also ventured to the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor. We all had a great time on the ship, even Hailey got excited. From the ship there are great views of the Arizona Memorial and one of the original towers (many of you will recognize it from the movie).

Some day soon we will visit the Arizona Memorial, but we would like to teach Ryan about the significance of it first.

Family Fun

2006-03-15T12:27:00.000-10:00

Although the island is not very big, we are discovering that there is a lot to do here. The kids, of course, love going to the beach. Fortunately for us this is a cheap and close to home activity. All we have to do is walk or drive about 2 blocks down the hill. Ryan enjoys jumping in the waves and looking for hidden treasures. Hailey on the other hand is simply content to sit and eat the sand. (Not to worry, we have learned that it passes smoothly over the course of about 3 days.)

Aloha!

2006-03-15T12:08:00.000-10:00

As everyone knows by now we are essentially now settled into this beautiful island state. Everyday I marvel at the beauty of the land and water that surrounds us. Unfortunately, it is winter time and although we don't get the freezing temperatures, we do get rain...and more rain and more rain. So that means you'll all just have to wait a little longer for the scenery pictures.
However, given that this is the Rainbow State, I had to take a picture of our first Hawaiian rainbow. We were driving back from Honolulu one day and there it was stretched across a valley. I have to say that I have never before seen both ends of a rainbow. Too bad for us, I wasn't able to go searching for the pot of gold.

On the Road Again...

2006-01-08T13:59:00.000-10:00

We hit the desert highways again and headed for Texas to celebrate Christmas with my family. We all had a great time visiting, however, we quickly concluded that we will never again do that drive. Especially when we are in a hurry and traveling with small children.
Waiting for Christmas Day and Santa to come was very difficult...

but in the end everyone got what they had hoped for!

We want to thank all of our family and friends for their thoughtful cards and gifts this holiday season. May you have a joyous New Year!

Long overdue update

2005-11-22T10:37:00.000-10:00

Ok, Ok...I realize that I have been seriously slacking in keeping everybody up to date. Sometimes I feel like our lives are just the same old crap day after day. We go to work, we come home and eat, go to sleep and get up the next day to start all over again.
There are a few exciting details worth talking about, however. As many of you are already aware, we are expecting again with our third and LAST child. Once again pregnancy has not been particulary favorable to me. I have been very sick on a nightly basis and sometimes in the morning too. Last weekend I had a little scare when I started throwing up blood. Thankfully it turns out that I simply ruptured some blood vessels in my esophogus. Let me just make a side note, though, that if someone ever wants to shove a tube down your nose into your stomach, tell them NO! It was the most uncomfortable thing I think I have ever experienced.
On a more positive note... The kids are doing well and growing bigger faster than I can keep them in clothes. Ryan has become a phenominal reader and continues his ventures in Cub Scouts. We went camping again a few weeks ago and participated in a Boy Scout Carnival. The kids had a blast. Hailey is into everything lately. She apparently feels the need to try and keep up with her brother. She is cruising around the furniture and exploring her limits. She seems particularly fascinated with anything electrical, outlets, cords...
I promise to post some photos soon. Unfortunately, my darling husband, being the highly intelligent Marine that he is, accidentally deleted the pictures I had on the camera.
Lots of love to all!

2005-09-09T18:26:00.000-10:00

Our Little Hawaiian Girl

2005-09-09T18:22:00.000-10:00

Toothless Wonder

2005-09-09T18:21:00.000-10:00

Pageant Beauties!