A Marine & all his girls

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Our Day at the Beach

So I am a LITTLE slow at posting this one…. Labor Day weekend when we made the trek to Camp Pendleton to see friends.. we also went to the beach. YES it was FREEZING and YES my girls STILL went in the water.. well they put their feet in. My baby girl was a little unsure of the sand at first

But after watching big sisters play in it, she was ok and even started to throw it (oh the joys of sand in the hair... YUCK!)

Here are some fun pictures of my girls playing in the water, collecting shells, and TRYING to build a sandcastle.

I even got some pictures with my girls 1 on 1 (that hardly EVER happens.. I am always taking the pictures J

The water was FREEZING!

Delaney LOVED watching her sisters in the water.

(Kelsee didn't want to get her pants wet)

Me the MEAN mommy didn’t let them stay to long. My baby girls lips were turning blue. It was VERY windy and It was only 64 degrees out and we STILL had to make the LONG trek back to the NASTY desert of 29 Palms. When we got back to 29 it was 106 degrees and my girls said. Hey mom can we just go back to Pendelton? I WISH!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

I was there for you....

This is so powerful. It is my "favorite" remembering 9-11 video. So well done and SO powerful. I had to share it.

9-11-01 the day that changed not only America, but the world!

Remembering...

It is really hard to believe that it has been 9 years now since that day that changed AMERICA! The day that changed ME..... I will NEVER forget being woken up by a phonecall from my mom.... with no Hello. But with "so what does this mean for Matthew (my marine)?" What? What was she talking about. As I became a little more coherent, I asked her over and over... WHAT? She said, "You have no idea huh? Turn on your tv." So I did just as the plane flew into the 2nd tower. I was in shock from that moment on. Was it all a bad dream? Why?? Why would anyone do that? To watch the images on the tv, it seems surreal. I felt the pain those people must've felt in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. As the day continued and the tragedy unfolded, I couldn't help but be glued to the tv ALL DAY!

I held my 2 little girls tighter that day, they were ages 1 and 3. My Marine was at work and of course training and I couldnt get ahold of him for a long time. Our lives changed that day. As did the lives of so many others. I WILL NEVER FORGET! All those that gave their lives that day.... all the firefighters and policemen... all those that went into help. All those precious miracles that happened. Over the years I have read many stories of miracles that happened. I would also say those tender mercies of the Lord. We never know why we have some of the feelings that we do. The feeling of You Shouldn't go that way to work today or You are NOT supposed to leave yet. It truly makes me stop and think that the LORD has a plan for us.

I WISH with everything in me, that America could get back to that HOPE and STRENGTH and POWER that we had as a nation 9 years ago.

As I ponder today about the meaning of 9-11 for me.....It has given me time to reflect on life itself and how precious it is. I don't think I take anything for granted anymore. I cherish my time with my girls and husband (what little time I DO get to have with him) I am truly grateful for my 4 "little" blessings. Grateful that I get to be a mom and a wife, to one heck of a Marine! That I can be a daughter to the greatest parents alive.

All I have to say is Don't waste your time being angry or mad at someone.... it isn't worth it. They could be gone tomorrow and you didn't ever get to say I AM SORRY. Cherish what you have been blessed with. Live your life and love those around you.

To all those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.... and to those family members they left behind. THANK YOU! I personally will NEVER forget.

Friday, September 10, 2010

My life in a video.....

Thursday, September 9, 2010

My little Monkey's jumping on the bed

All my monkey's jumping on the bed....

it's NoT OUR bed!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

It all ended good

With it being Labor day weekend, last weekend, I was HOPING to do something FUN and EXCITING with the girls. The last Hoorah before no more time off of school for awhile. I had talked to my mom and she said that my parents and brother would come visit us on saturday and stay until sunday. But then saturday came and No gramma, papa or uncle David. Things happen I know but man, is it a let down for the girls. (I REALLY should stop telling them of plans until it REALLY happens)

So as we all sat for lunch on saturday I asked the girls what FUN thing they would like to do. We came up with 4 choices....

Go to Big Bear (a little over an hour from us)

Go to the M&M Factory museum thing in Vegas (3 hours from us)

Go to visit Gramma & Papa (3 hours from us)

Go down to Camp Pendleton to visit friends and GO TO THE BEACH (3hours from us)

Well we decided to go to......... Pendleton!

We loaded up the truck with all the beach gear, the stroller and LOTS of towels, jackets and changes of clothes. Then we headed out Sunday right after church. We got down to Pendleton and surprised our friends the Dawson's. What a shock to see the shock and surprise on their faces when we showed up at the door. The best part was, it was like our kids have ALWAYS been together and we haven't been gone for 5 years. They all had such a great time playing together and I loved chatting and catching up with my friend Andrea.

After our 2 1/2 hour visit we headed out to meet other friends at Chuck E. Cheese. (Yes we broke the sabbath, and yes I did go to Chuck E Cheese 2 times in 1 week.... that certainly doesn't HELP the waistline OR the wallet!) The Dodd family is in the same boat as us these days... their daddy is deployed too. Ann (Dodd's) marine and my marine worked together years ago. We actually figured it out and we have been friends for 8 years now. (man does time fly by) She has been my strength and was there to watch my 2 older girls when I had #3. It was a great time to visit and watch the kids play. Besides having to WAIT 45 minutes on our food, but thank goodness because they compensated us with FREE tokens, the trip to Chuck E. was Fun. Yes I said it.

(Riley- Ann's youngest)

All of kelsee's tickets

The Dodd Family

After the goodbyes we made our way to the hotel. With it being Labor Day weekend, every place was either booked or WAY OVERPRICED! But we found a place to stay and all my girls cared about was there was a pool and a hot tub!

Here are a few of the FUN pictures we took from our hotel stay.....