Say What?

Max: "Kalee, why do you talk so much?"
Kalee: "Because that's what girls do!"

Bwhahahah! Max looked at me in shock. Pure proof she's mine. Reminds me of the shirt my Dad and Step-Mom got her that says "I'm just like Mommy, I don't shut up!"

Officially Warned...

..the other day by a friend against going to the Yokosuka NEX this time of year. ;) Halloween stuff is out already. That means my favorite candy corn is waiting for me! Last year was easier being overseas and not having a 24 hour Super Wal-Mart right around the corner (but I still managed to put away a 2 lb. bag handful every 2 days). Lets see how long I can resist temptation. Hum. Can I make it a whole season?

Today's COMREL (links added at bottom)

Oh, sorry I'm speaking military....lemme translate for those not familiar with the Navy's mighty fine acronym language. In civilian COMREL means Community Relations.

Max helped organize a COMREL for sailors aboard his ship. The event took place today and they demolished two houses that were condemned due to April's tornado damage. At one point I was looking to refer a sailor his direction and he was no where to be found. I heard a power tool and knew he couldn't be far from it...Do I know my husband or what?!?!?!

Why would you want to put a hole in the roof? So Max could stand IN it.

Always posting colors...even if it is in a pile of rubbish.

This picture says it all. Max had to jump through hoops...that He provided. When one door was closed Max was gently directed to another He just opened. This opened eyes of many, not excluding my own. I sit here in awe of how He worked today. Thanks to several volunteers (over 70 in all) from the ship, our home church, and local community businesses, two more families have begun the healing process and are ready to start rebuilding.

Giving God the glory! ALL OF IT!

13 hours later I'm pooped from running around. Off to watch the local news to see if they are airing Max's interview tonight ....guess you'll have to wait another day to hear about camping. :P

***********Edited Below**********

Here is the story in the Virginia Pilot.... and not sure how long this will be aired but here is the short story that came across the local airwaves. Other locals have notified us that they had a longer interview last night but I'm still trying to locate it.

Say it! My children!!!

Patients!

Patients friends!

I'm working on a blog about our trip but need to submit a chit for permission to publish. ;) You'll understand why later...unless your my Mom who got the Police story from my brother and called to ask what ER was all about...lol (FYI- not any of my family). Crazy Mom.

One Year Later...

We are back. I can't believe we got more then 40 miles away from home, stayed the night and did not visit any family. That's a first! I was expecting to kick back and have fun... boy was I misleading myself, somehow we missed the kick back part. Camping is lots of work, but we had a blast anyway! I want to tell you all about how Kalee learned about a what a police man does and how non-military ER's wait is a lot quicker.. but I have about 9 loads of laundry to do, a cooler to unpack, stuff to put away, and a car to clean out. So basically what I'm saying is you'll have to wait til later. :P

Today is also my 1 year blogging anniversary. I can't believe I still have readers other then my Mom. Thanks guys!

Goin on a Bear Hunt...

I'm not afraid...

It's gunna be a relaxing weekend away, finally. Roasting weenies and marshmallows. Tell ya all about it after we return Sunday.

First Lesson

We had our first violin lesson today. Yes "we"! Kalee and I! Look, if I can learn to play something it may drown out my singing.... I'm tired of hearing "your hurting my ears". Almost as much of a shock as "your mouth smells" after a morning yawn. Or walking into the bathroom after Max fumigated.

Bear is insisting on one of his own. I can't see spending the money on one that will probably have the sound post knocked over weekly because it was used as a racket to hit an orange across the room. I'm considering a homemade one. Kalee made a guitar out of rubber bands and a rectangle tissue box....add a toilet paper roll to one end and a wooden dowel for the bow...voila. Think he'll buy it? Maybe that will be tomorrow's craft since it's time to start clearing out the old 'junk craft' box. They would rather build castles and make things out of items from that box then using Lincoln logs or items from Michael's. If you have kids try it! Start saving toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, cool whip containers, egg cartons, plastic containers berries come in, pickle jar (for Kalee obviously since it's glass), ice cream cups, yogurt containers. Just look at it before you throw it in the trash. We use cool whip and butter containers (from neighbors because I of coarse prefer to make my own, if you want my recipes you have to call me standing on your head balancing the phone on your nose...I'll know your desperate to become a crunchy...lol) for water play outside or bathtub toys. They find it more entertaining then toys and I'm all about reduce, reuse and recycle. But beware, don't bring the box into the bathroom with a 2 year old like mine, or you'll be fishing out soggy paper towel cardboard. Don't know what is worse, sifting out cardboard fibers or toxic goop.

*When Max fixes his camera I'll take a .mpg of her telling you about what she learned during today's lesson. The video will be added here*

What Am I? You got it!

First set of clues:
I had roots you could not see,
I got played with daily.
I'm now out for another to be,
Now go look at Kalee.

*answer and pictures will be posted tomorrow ;)

Since no one is close, you'll have to keep trying....

Second set of clues:
I'm the third one to go,
but the first two went with trauma.
I'm worth some money you know,
and left out all the drama.

Think, think, think...if you know her history, the second set should give it away. Bugging you yet?



She was busting up at me wanting to take a picture of her mouth.

Saturday night Kalee told us her tooth was really loose. Max said he wanted to play with it so she allowed him to. Before you know it she let out a grunt and and they both fished the separated tooth from her cheek. My baby lost her first tooth, naturally!

For the record, she requested $0.20 but I realize it's 2008. When she lost her second tooth last year due to trauma the tooth fairy brought $20.00 plus she got a visit from the Japanese tooth fairy who brought Y500 (about $5). Kalee's tooth fairy pays based on how clean the teeth are...and had no smaller bills either time...what are the chances? Yes, another $20 for this tooth, ouch! She plans on spending it on a loud Jonahs Brothers or Hannah Montana alarm clock with bells so she can get up early.

But Santa is just a man dressed up at the mall, and the Easter Bunny is a costume...how does she wrap her mind around this stuff?

Broke the Record!

I love getting up early. I got 2 loads of laundry washed, dried, folded, and put away...I broke the 1 load every 12 hour record. Exciting. That was after emptying the dishwasher and wiping all the downstairs tile on my hands and knees...all before 7am! WOW! I'm amazed at what I can get done in a few hours with out interruptions. I went on to making next weeks menu and my grocery list for tomorrow. After the kids woke up and I fed them, did 2 more loads of laundry, scrubbed the bathrooms and vacuumed the staircase and upstairs. By 9:30 am I got a weeks worth of chores done. OK, not really....but I don't know why I don't just get up before the kids daily. Things go so much smoother.

Now it's almost 20:00 and I'm pooped. Could it be because I have been up since 5?

Sweet Dreams.

Yum

I tried something new for dinner and the best part is, I didn't burn it! I may have experienced water boiling over and leaving a burnt smell on my flat stove...but I didn't burn the food. Yeah...doin' the happy dance. I made a recipe from a friend (thanks Linda) called Chicken Divan. Max went back for more a few times, Bear ate 2 servings, I put some away...and it will be waiting for my Kalee tomorrow morning. She decided to not eat it. The girl eats rice, devours broccoli, tolerates chicken, and loves cheese...but not all together for some reason. Seriously, tonight was drama. My kids eat almost anything but she will pick out onion and bell pepper if she sees it, in which I don't complain because she's great at putting 'un-normal' kid veggies away (like asparagus, cauliflower, snap peas, cucumber, celery, salad, and even beets off the top of my head). But tonight I was such a mean Mommy...that REFUSES to have picky eaters. So she can have her three bites tomorrow morning before her favorite sweet potato pancakes. Max on the other hand threatened to fly her to China to deliver her plate to people that don't have food. He was also singing Chinese sounding music that made me laugh so hard I had to pee. China? When I was a kid it was Ethiopia. Mom would tell me how some kids in Ethiopia don't have food...I replied "pack it up and ship it to 'em". That level of sarcasm has yet to sink in with Kalee, but knowing her parents as well as I do...they can hold their own. ;D

Unmotivated

I'm amazed at how I can't cook, but can get a stain out of almost anything. Why!? Last nights London broil was interesting. I ate carrots, wild rice, and fresh green beans instead. Max choked the dry beef down and said it was almost fit for human consumption. I've got me a good man. Boy I got a laundry list of todo's today. One thing I do well is get stains out of kids clothes...you know since dirt is Bear's favorite color. I gotta think about tonight's dinner since it's a good night to try something new. I have a back up. Chick-Fil-a. Tonight is kids eat free night. Need to research a few things for this upcoming year and find my keys....yeah the ones that have been missing for about 2 months now.

Off to turn up music and get motivated. I think I can have everything but locating my keys done in about 2 hours given I don't have to put my black and white t-shirt on throw myself down to count to three.

Errrr!

Why does the Navy create mandatory dog and pony functions? Then they have the audacity to mail invitations so we receive them Monday for an event that Friday. Seriously, so often they expect Sailors to pull things outta their butts perfectly polished. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

... I can't say friends didn't warn me from a wife's perspective that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Maybe I should mail the ship weed-n-feed.

Itch

Kalee was acting like a whiny baby very tired as she got out of the tub tonight. I let her carry on and thought nothing about it. When she finally stopped I walked in to brush her hair and ask if everything was OK.

K: *whine* My legs are itchy
Me: You know I don't speak whine.
K: *sigh* Mom, the hair on my legs are bothering me, they make my legs itch!
Me: *as I noticed a comb on the stool and vertical scratch marks on her leg* Um Kalee, did you comb your leg hair?
K: *smirk-quiet voice* yes.
Me: Bwahahaha!

Poor girl stands no chance having Max and I as parents. At least I can understand and show her to rub extra virgin organic coconut oil (we use as conditioner and lotion) in a downward motion to get it all to stay one direction. If she starts getting hair on the top of her foot and big toe...guess I'll spare her and shave it when she's sleepin'..

No, really, I wouldn't do that. That may give her a complex. Poor kid already shows signs of my OCD in public restrooms.

Chocolate Pizza

Tonight, home made pizza sounded yummy. I had everything on hand except for sauce. Max offered to run to the store and grab milk and sauce. Perfect! I could prepare everything else meanwhile. How come the man came home with sauce, coke, milk, a box of 50/50 ice cream bars, and 2 frozen pizzas? "Um, Babe...what are the pizzas for? I said I was making homemade ones." I can't tell if he just really knows me and my cooking or decided Digorno was easier but he replied "just in case". In case of what? In case I instantly feel like yuck and don't want to stand in the kitchen? Surely couldn't be anticipation of me burning them. Me, burn food? Let me tell you about my fantastic home made dough. No it wasn't my recipe and I didn't get it from the refrigerated section in the commissary. I borrowed my friends recipe...who by the way went to the Le Cordon Bleu in London...see, I know who to make friends with :)...I added everything in the kitchen aida little elbow grease and voila. Max was even impressed...mostly because I kept the words organic and whole wheat flour away from his hearing radar. The kids did their own mini ones and added everything but onion. As for the frozen pizza? It will remain in the freezer until he needs to feed the kids on a night I have Women's Bible Study.

I smell cake. Cake? CAKE! Gasp! I forgot to set my phone alarm when I made my birthday cake. You know, the one Max bought when he got back from underway to have the kids make for me! I better go check on it before the chocolate becomes charcoalish in color...

Rubbing Off Thoughts

Beware of the randomness (you may find more of this):

I'm rubbing off on a friend. Not sure if that's a good thing. Rubbing the black circles off the wall is not nearly as fun.

Finally talked another old friend into blogging...so glad to hear my kid isn't the only one that eats animal food, and we don't even have animals...but I think my boy is the only American kid that ate a Japanese Cockroach. Can't wait to hear about when her child discovers scissors cut hair.

Please don't fall out of your chair, yes that was me in a picture. I'm tellin' ya I can't do the self snapshot....you'll see a nose hair or half an eyelash.

Max told me I should be a Sailor. Huh? Yeah. After seeing me swab the deck 12 times in 8 hours 3 days in a row he decided I'd be a good Sailor. Did I mention we are about 85% done with the tile? Only have to seal the grout and lay the kitchen (after cabinets are done and installed).

...and why do mosquitoes like me?

Stay-cation

Last weekends "stay-cation". You know, since we have yet to take a family vacation...

Yup,they are kids. We took them to see how those greasy things were made. Brought back memories of my high school years. We would drive about 2 hours to the nearest one (remember that Tara?). After Krispy Kreme we went to a local farm. We love farm animals. They had a beautiful garden as well.
Those sunflowers towered over their heads.
Max was about to get spit on....
I'm such a good Mom. I used Bear as a shield...
Max got me a new computer since I seem to mess all the other ones up. :) Part of an exhibit at the farm...we will definitely go back to that place...so cool.

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Last night we put a movie on for the kids and got to grouting. I'm wondering if Bear didn't think much of the stay-cation....or maybe he was trying to earn his keep with art work.

Top of the stairway.

Hall by his room and his door.

In his room. I didn't post all of them either my friends. Kalee didn't see him do it because "I listened and got in the bath on my own" (big step) but she laughed her butt off in the other room when she heard Max and I talking....I mean Max talking. I couldn't, it would have come out as a very loud talk....how markers belong on paper ONLY. Not the walls we spent months painting, or the door, door jam, book case, stairway, stair spindle, toy sorter, rocking horse, T.V. fan or anywhere else that it ended up on last night. I will say he earned enough money for a one way ticket to his bedroom and got to know it very well.

BUT... he's finally getting the hang of drawing circles....

Sarcasm?

We were getting the kids out of the tub...

Me: Here baby use this towel, the other one stinks
K: Yeah, because Dad wiped his butt with it....

My girl! I can't believe it! She's 5 and picking up on the sarcasm already. I sooo proud! :D

*my water system removes chlorine. That means if I forget I'm doing laundry they get musty smelling...like the clothes Max brought home form work yesterday that smell like ship. It forces me not to take 24 hours to complete one load.

Did you know I could get more done between 6am and 8am then I can between 8am and 6pm? Yeah, neither did I!