Chronister Clan Chronicles

OOH My 5 months later

2010-10-26T09:22:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been five long months since I last blogged. SOO much has happened. Lets see if I can catch you up. First of all we did finally get off this island and into the states. For Alan and the kids, it was the first time they had been off island in almost a year. Alan claims that being back in the states wasn't overwhelming for him, but it was for the rest of us. It took us a good two days to get to TX complete with a detour through Haiti, but we arrived and spent a great two months with the family. We saw Jesse graduate and helped Chy celebrate her 30th. It was wonderful. So great in fact that when Alan left we were supposed to follow in a week. We didn't. We changed our plans three different times in fact. Finally flying back to Gtmo the middle week of August. We had time to connect with all our old friends and lots of family. We got to celebrate Llaurel's 20th birthday with her and even got a chance to fly into GA and visit with my Dad and Step mom. It was the best summer I have had, and I know the kids had the time of their lives. They are still talking about it and are planning for next summer. In fact I have turned down two jobs that would make being off island for the summer impossible, just in order to ensure their return to TX and GA.

So the school year started and although the kids still love going to school we are having some issues. Poor Adam is struggling with reading and we are working like mad to try to get him up to speed. I think he is improving, but it is a very slow process for him. He does love his teacher and she is really does care about him and his ability to read. She was Madie's teacher last year and so we have a great relationship with her. It is great living in such a small place because you become close to those who are close to your kids. As for Madie, she is still going strong is one of the strongest readers and mathematicians in her class. BUT her teacher is a stick in the mud and only teaches by worksheet. She does very little hands on activities which is beyond boring for the kids. And then there is Maegan. She is in Sure Start which is basically the Head Start program in the states. I am NOT impressed. For Maegan she is more than ready for kindergarten, but her birth date is too late in the year. I can homeschool and we have talked about it, but for now she is getting some play time with kids on the island and it allows me to work. So she is staying in for the time being.

Alan is still going ninety to nothing. He finally started up the Cub Scout program here, which is taking up quite a bit of his time. That said he is having a ton of fun with Adam and the other kids. He has meetings every week and they play games and whatnot. I am just so glad he has finally gotten the chance to start it up. Of course that means he is the Cub Master rather than just a leader, but he is thrilled to have Cub Scouting active on the island again. He has also learned the love of golf. While the kids and I were gone this summer he our friend Matt started golfing together. They try and go once a week. I still don't get the desire they have to smack a small ball with a stick, but Alan is having a great time.

As for me, where to begin. I didn't really have any intention of going on and on about me, but as I sit here I realize that I have a ton of things going on. I started substitute teaching this year. I have subbed for both the elementary and high school, and although I can relate to the high/middle schoolers, I definitely like the elementary school subbing better. They listen, plain and simple. I have had a chance to sub for Madie's class and for Maegan's. Tons of fun in each one. That takes care of the extra money. Now for all the stuff that I do that isn't earning us cash, but is filling up my emotional/mental/spiritual bank. I am the coordinator for both the book and cooking club, which is a ton fun. Book club is self explanatory, but for cooking club we choose a theme and then make something along the theme and then meet and share our cooking. We have a blog in which we share all our recipes. I am also the PTO secretary as well as just being voted in as the Spouses Club secretary. And last but not least, I have been asked to teach the youth of our parish. We have a few who are not ready for confirmation and I was asked to help these youth find their faith. I am overwhelmed with the task of helping them find God, but I feel confident that God has called me to this and is working through me. I am really enjoying myself and I think the kids are having a good time and actually learning something, as they regurgitate things I have taught them, and when I see them at the high/middle school they go out of their way to make sure and say hello. In fact this week have subbed in each one of their classes, and they have been the most respectful. Oh that isn't the last thing. I just had my first two Le Leche League meetings this past week as well. I have had a lot new mom's needing help here and the hospital isn't providing any type of birthing education of breastfeeding education or help. I realized that the new moms on this base really need help and so with the help of our WIC officer I am now leading meetings and offering breastfeeding help to anyone who needs it. I think birthing classes will be soon on the way as well.

Now for the present. Today is Maegan's 5th birthday. How is it possible that our baby is already 5? We had a Halloween party for her. We painted the only 12 little pumpkins the island had and we played some games, ate a huge pumpkin cake Alan made and open her presents. We had a ton of fun, but it makes me miss the days when all the kids we invited were little. There were too many kids who got a bit bored and too many older kids who wreaked havoc. But all in all a good party.

This week I am subbing, I think I already said that, and then on Friday we have the Fall Fest here at the school and on Saturday Alan and I along with our friends Matt and Monique are hosting a neighborhood block party. And then finally we will be done with Halloween, only to get started with Cheer leading and Girl Scouts. SOOO MUCH going on.

Now that I have updated you all I promise to blog more often. I send you all my love and prayers

Adam, my Adam

2010-05-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

OH MY BOY!!!
So this is how it started. Adam and Maegan are taking swim lessons both last week and this coming week. Adam was moved from the new swimmer class at 4:30pm to the advanced swimmer class at 5:15pm. Why is that important? It isn't until later. Just keep the timeline in mind.
Okay so we showed up to swim class on Monday and THE life gaurd, Mr.Tony, tells Adam he isn't swimming until later, at which point Adam comes to me in tears. The class he is going to be in is the last class of the day, and it is as far as you can go for swim classes here. It is challenging to say the least. Madie's first day in class she cried because her legs hurt so bad. The life gaurds have you swim back and forth, the length of the pool mind you, repeatedly...Hard work for a boy who couldn't swim three weeks ago.
So Monday sucked for the kid. He was so tired, and hungry, well he was just plain miserable. Come Tuesday he was upset about going to swim class, but you all know me. It wasn't an option. Anyway, he had a much better swim class and even went down the big slide. I had to catch him of course, but he still went down the darn thing.
On to Wednesday. We snuck Alan out of work early and made him come with us to the pool. Alan hasn't been to the pool more than two times since being on the island. We were all kinds of excited. We got there at 4pm, which left each of us time to play with Dad before the first swim class started. The major reason for having Alan come to the pool, besides giving him a chance to relax? We all wanted to show the Dad how each of the kids love to go down the slide now. Madie is in love with the dang thing, the one thing she has refused to do for the last two years is go down these slides. Now? She can't get enough of them. Anyway, I am instructing my little man to show his dad how brave he is as he is getting out of the pool. He is so engrossed in what I am saying that he turns around to go to the slide and smacks his head into the damn thing. Madie was waiting for him so she walked over to him and was asking how he was doing when her face went white. That was when we knew. BLOOD...Madie freaks, not over the blood, but over the pain her siblings may be feeling. She slaps Adam's hand back to his head, at which point Alan has reached the boy. As I get out of the pool and retrieve the pager, Alan administers first aid. Mainly lots of pressure and a towel. We get to our lounges that have all our crap when one of the life gaurds comes over and says he has a first aid kit, lets slap a band-aid on it. So we walk over and he pulls out the alcohol swab and swabs the crap out of what we can now see is a gapping wound. To give my son credit, he didn't cry when the insane amount of alcohol hit his open wound. Naw he just squeezed blank out of my hand. But no tears. At this point I am telling everyone who is around, but not listening that if I can see tissue, I want to take him to the ER. But who am I? Just an over reacting mother? I am telling you, there was no over reacting. I mean there could have been when the gushing blood was pouring out, or when the well meaning life gaurd scorched my son with alcohol. But really I was just repeating to the life gaurd, the kids, the husband, hell even the mama sitting with her baby, that a trip to the ER was needed. Of course no one listened to me. Nope we had to wait until MR.TONY says go to the ER....Mom's know shit apparently.
The good thing about Gtmo? All of our friends are docs. And one of them happened to be at the pool. SO we dragged Adam over to her on our way out and asked her opinion. She said it was deep enough and big enough for stiches...SEE!!! But she informed us that the ER doc on call was the bad one. The doctor that would require us to be there to do a cat-scan and observation time. Yea not what I wanted to do.
What did we do? Yep, we strolled down Alan's hallway and asked our three good doc friends, including Adam's doc, to look at his wound. In no time we had the boy steri-stripped and glued back together. They suggested stitches only to prevent scarring. But the men in the group all decided that boys with scars are way cool, so they just glued him and off we went. We had to get back to the pool to pick up Maegan who stayed to do her swim class.
Now this is where the time-line comes in. We left with Adam right before Maegan's class started. We got back to the pool before it ended. That's right. To the hospital and back in less than what forty five minutes. LOVE GTMO!
But that's not all!!

So now my beautiful little man has his first big noticable scar...It is ugly right now too...The steri-strip glue is dark brownish red and the glue is all caked up on it. GROSS....
Okay so I hosted a bon fire on Friday night, as a goodbye to the people leaving the island this summer. Good times were had by all. At least I thought so. Not for Adam. It must have been fun for him because he didn't show me his NEW wound until we got home.
Alan was in charge of the fire, and while he listens very well to me, add two Marines and a pile of pallets just begging to be burned, and you have a fire that rivals a homing becon. I mean I think Jamaica saw the fire. Anway...the sand on the beach around the fire for a good two feet was HOT. My little guy grabbed a handful of sand that burnt him. He told his dad and Alan put some ice on it, but by the time he got home and showed me, he had a blister that covered a good portion of his hand and it had small little seed blisters around the mammoth mamma blister. It is bad my friends. He also shows me his ankle which he twisted and it is swollen and to top it all off, his Mr parts have some eczema inflamation...
So not only does he have a wound on his head, he now has a blister straight from the bowels of hell, a strained ankle and his junk hurts and itches....He is a mess
As of today the family jewels are much better and the ankle is back to its normal size. BUT his head is still healing and that blister? Still huge and unpoped...
Needless to say the kid has taken his lickin's this past week. I am praying the kid stays safe this week, add him to yours as well....until later I send you all my love

whew

2010-05-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

Okay so banners are done. Made the actual cakes for the Brownie Investiture tomorrow night, just have to decorate them, that is later tonight. Got actual brownies made for Sunday and the reception after first communion. Went through coupons with my chickie Leslie. Got the ivite out for the Bon Fire I am organizing next Friday (a Gtmo Goodbye, something like 50-60 people) and made Chy's invites....
Long morning. Two days ago Alan and I finally got all our goodies boxed up for our families back home and got those off in the mail...and last night I sat down to make some more crafty stuff out of sea glass, but was un-inspired so that got put back away.

Now I am waiting on the Bremcor men to get here and change/replace my smoke detectors, something they have been trying to do for the last week. And then off to lunch with the ladies, back for nap time. Once the kids get home we are all taking our showers early and then heading to the hospital to get Alan and then off to church for Madie's First Reconcilitation. The new priest here is very into confession and has asked all the parents and all elgible kids to go to confession as well. So I am gearing up for that....I'm not nervous at all, I just don't know what I will say. I confess my sins to God everyday and ask for forgiveness through him, not the priest so I am at a loss really what I should confess. Do I confess that I am not to thrilled with the catholic church and it's stance homosexuality or the fact that my son may not be able to have communion, all because using gluten and dairy is a must in communion wafers. Do I confess that I am only a practicing catholic right now because it is what I know and am unsure of what other faiths are out there. Or that I am too scared to leave the church? See too much for a quick confession. Alan is confessing today. So it may be a one parent confession today...

Then after confession we have the rehersal for Brownie's at six and then back home to finish Adam's homework, get dinner and get the kids in bed by 8. Then I will be decorating a cake, then I can hit the sack.
Tomorrow is not nearly as nuts. Only story time at the library and then some light cooking for Sunday. I am making charro beans, avacado salad and a quiche for the communion reception. So I am going to make the beans tomorrow, because beans are always better one to two days later. Then tomorrow evening Madie's brownie thing....Sat is easy just rehersal for communion and decorating the church and hall and then Sunday Communion...that will take care of this week.

Next week we have little flowers and laundry. We have to get our laundry all together so that I can start the long ardous task of packing for two months away from home. I am only packing enough clothes for five days as I figure we will be purchasing clothing once we get back home...

The countdown has begun and I am super excited. We really haven't sat down with the kids and explained when we will be leaving but they know it is soon....

Okay now I am off to shower, the Bremco bozos still aren't here....figures...Until later I send you all my love!!

Busy as Bees

2010-05-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

Holy Moly I had no idea that I had taken so long to write...All I can tell you is that it is the same old excuse. I have been so flippin' busy and things don't look like they are going to slow down for some time.

So let's see....Madie is doing spectacular in school. She has learned to do diaramas, she LOVES them. She did one over Little Red Ridding Hood, and then one at school over Elephants. She had to do all the research and everything. This summer while we are in TX she is going to do another one, complete with research and all. Keep her mind a working. Two weeks ago the Nation celebrated Take Your Child to Work Day. Well amazingly enough the base CO approved everyone to participate. So Alan had Madie come to the hospital. Mind you I was off island at the time for a check up. Anyway, Alan arranged it so that Madie could spend about an hour with a number of different woman at the hospital. Madie spent time with the XO of the hospital CPTN Kinney-Gutshall- who is a nurse and second in charge of the entire hospital. She then spent an hour with CPTN Nunely- the nurse directorate, the person in charge of all nurses, they toured the ward together and visited with patients. She spent time with LT St Clair our internalist and got to take her Dad's vitals. And to top the day off she spent time with LT CMDR Griffin, the lab directorate. She had a great day and she and Alan came home and made a presentation banner for the class. AMAZING. Alan never told me he was planning all this, so when I found out that he did all this and to top it off made sure she spent time with WOMEN...lots of bonus points for that man I assure you.

As for Adam he is having a bit of a hard time. The boys in the neighborhood have gotten out of control and been mean lately so he hasn't been venturing outside very much. But he does seem to be doing pretty well despite not romping out of doors. School is going great for him, and he is loving it. His reading has gotten better, not the best, but not the worst. So we are going to focus on reading this summer to get him a little stronger on that front.

As for Maegan, she is doing well. She is a bit bored being at home with me and would like to start school, or have the kids home all the time. That said she and I are working hard on her letters and she is getting so good.

So during the kids Spring Break I took them to the pool everyday. While we were there one of the lifegaurds stopped me and asked me why Maegan and Adam were in life vests. I explained that despite numerous swim classes for each of them, they refused to actually swim. He looked at me and told me in his Jamiacan accent that if I enrolled the kids in his swim class, which lasts two weeks, that he would garauntee that they would be swimming like fish by the end of class. So I enrolled all three of them and have spent the last two weeks running from school, to swim class, to the hospital to get Alan and back in time to eat and get to meetings. INSANE, but THEY SWIM now. Both Maegan and Adam are swimming un-aided and doing great. Adam is swimming the width of the pool and having a ball, and Maegan is swimming a bit from the side of the pool into my arms and back. At any rate I am amazed at what they have accomplished and that being such, I will be enrolling them once again next week for another two week period. They will finish the classes just in the nick of time, we will be leaving for TX two days after their last class. Bring on the fun in TX.

Alan is doing better. He is getting very excited about his vacation coming up. The fact that he hasn't had a day off in almost a year combined with the fact that we get to go HOME, he is thrilled.

As for me. Shoot I am doing so much my head seems to be swimming. Let's start off with my trip back to VA. I saw the doc who told me that my vitamin D was was low, so I have supplements to take now. Since my D was so low I have been very lethargic and out of sorts, but now that I am taking the supplemnets I seem to be doing much better. Anyway, I have lost a total of 155lbs as of the end of March and am only 35% BMI instead of 62%. He told me that I am doing great and for the size I was compared to now, he is amazed. He doesn't think I will be losing too much more, but I assured him that I wasn't going to stop losing the weight, although it is much more difficult now. I can tolerate sugar again, which is a bad thing, because ever sinceI had the surgery sugar seems to be the only thing I want to eat ALL the TIME!! So now I have to deal with cravings and I have gotten my hunger pains back. I am trying to combat all of this with staying as active as possible. I am hoping to be just as active when we hit the TX border...
Okay so I am doing well in the weight area, although I seem to have pissed off my family by not posting any pics of myself. I am wanting to have a big reveal dang it and since I have had to work my ass off for this, I plan on enjoying myself....
As for what else I have been doing. Let's see, I am the Secretary for the PTO and although being secretary shouldn't require alot of my time, it does. And I seem to have about three thousand activities I am involved in. How about I just give you a run down of what we have to get done BEFORE we leave for the states in three short weeks
First up this week tonight I have a PTO meeting as well as a spouses club meeting,TUE- Adam is due for a check-up before we leave the island. His pediatrician will be gone by the time we come back from the states so Brian, his doc, wants to go over Adam's meds and stuff before we leave. We are getting the car checked up, no air at this point. And then the mom's of all the first communionites will be here to help me finish making their banners. The church didn't plan on banners, but three of us mother's decided we needed them, and the church graciously gave us royal blue and royal purple felt. Now mind you, we don't have a Walmart or a Michael's so we have had to just use what we have. I have it all. Alan says I am a craft supply hoarder because I don't like to part with what I have. He is right, but it is for projects like these that I hoard. Needless to say I had plenty of ribbon and material to make great banners. And we will be finishing them up tomorrow. Then Wed is our slow day with only coupon clipping in the morning and then parish council in the evening. On Thurs Madie is making her First Confession and all the parents have been asked to make a confession as well. Our new priest is really into confession. We shall see what happens there. Madie says she isn't nervous, but assures me that she will be crying because "that's just what I do Mom!" We also have Brownie rehersal for the bridging and investitiure ceremony. So then Friday is here and we have Feild Day in the morning and then Madie has her Brownie Ceremony. Sat has us practicing for her First Communion and something else I just can't remember what it is. And then finally Sunday will see us celebrating Madie and her First Communion. We are having a reception afterward in the Fellowship Hall, but us mother's are in charge of not only decorating the hall but making the food. And then after Madie is communionized we will go home and I am hoping that I will finally be able to nap.
That brings us to the following week, which starts swim classes again as well as getting ready for Little Flowers Girl's Club. It is coming to a close and it ends with a luncheon and a final bestowing of patches on the girls. I am helping get the luncheon together, and on the same day the girls will be doing the May Crowing of Mary at mass. Our house will also be celebrating Father's Day since we won't be with Dad for Father's Day.

Then to top all that activity I am planning a huge goodbye Bon Fire for all the residents that will be heading off to greener pastures this summer. We are losing A TON of our friends while we are off island this summer and the kids and I wanted to have a party for each one of them. So instead we decided to have huge bon fire. A lot of my friends have pitched in and have helped me get this together. So come the 14th we will be hanging out at the beach and enjoying each other for the last time. I figured a good time was better than heading to the pier and crying my ass off as people leave.

And then we have our big trip off island. The Chronister Clan is heading to TX and OK for a few months. Alan only gets to be with us for three weeks, but three weeks is so much better than nothing. I can't wait to see the family and the kids are about to bust a gut waiting. Today in fact I have all the stuff we have been saving for gifts stacked up in the living room and hope to get them in a box and mailed off tomorrow.

So I hope that you forgive me for my lack of communication. I hope to get better while we are off island. But knowing my family I will be just as busy back home. That and at least here we operate on island time. I am both excited and worried about our trip back home. I mean home is HOME, but island life is so...I can't explain it. It is is chaotic here but everyone and thing is so relaxed that it is hard to get stressed about anything....

okay the kids will be walking through the door any minute and I am getting typers cramps...so until we meet again, I send you my love
Oh and I apologize for the spelling. Still haven't found the spell check!

Earthquakes and busy times

2010-03-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

So this past week has been jammed packed, complete with a St.Paddy's day feast, Texas Breakfast I hosted here at the house, Cooking club, game night-again here, baby shower, basketball awards and girl scouts. The family has been going since Wed. and Alan and I have had a time of it. Not only have I been too occupied getting the house clean and cooking my ass off, I managed to forget to call my mom on her birthday. I have been really sucking on the family front...My apologies family..

We'll begin the story on Wed. I wanted to have our traditional St. Patrick's day meal. Potato pancakes, smoked sausage and green applesauce. I decided we needed to share our tradtion with friends, so Alan and I invited the hospital crew over to eat with us. Just a side note here: the year I married Alan I changed the traditional potato pancakes for zucchini pancakes, it was a decilious change. Since then the kids, Alan and I have foregone the potato for zucchini. But this year I thought I would offer both. That and I wanted to make enough for my cooking club on Friday. For all of you who have made potato pancakes, you know that although making the pancakes is easy standing there and cooking then is a whole other ball of wax. It takes forever!! Anyway, our friends loved our meal and all was good.

On to Thursday. I offered to host a Texas Breakfast for my girlfriends. I have been craving biscuits and gravy and I have two or three Texan friends that have been as well. So I had a big ole Texas breakfast, it was so nice to just sit around and gab Thurs morning with my girls, but still a bit stressful considering I had to clean and cook all over again.

Then on Friday I had cooking club, but I also had to make a diaper cake. I offered to make a diaper cake for my girlfriend Stacy's baby shower. I also offered to make the cake, so I baked the cake Friday night after I got back from the cooking club soriee and then finally hit the sack.

So Saturday..The BIG day!! First and foremost we had a basketball game to go to. The plant nursery was open as well, so we hit the nursery first to get our free plant ( You can't buy plants here like you can in the US. There is no Lowes or Walmart to run to and get a house plant and the NEX doesn't sell any, so PWD-pblic works dept- has a nursery set up and is open every other Sat. Anyone can come and take away ONE plant for free) and then off to the game. I of course had to leave the boys to play the game while the girls and I ran to the NEX to get more supplies for my baby shower cake I promised to make. Once Adam's game was over we headed back home to hit the kitchen. Mind you the house is now a big mess and the dishes are piled high. I had no desire to wash dishes for the like 10,000th time and Alan, well Alan was busy. Anyway between Alan and I, we got the kitchen cleaned and I started on the cake. Now I am not a baker. I hate baking in general, but cooking, that is my thing. Alas, I was having trouble getting started on the cake so my amazing husband stepped up and took over for me. He made the icing-his delectable butter cream- and iced the darn cake for me. Beautiful I tell you. Another side note here- I am PMSing, so Lord knows decorating the cake for me was a challenge for poor Alan. But he did a great job.... Now I am sure you are wondering why I was having trouble getting started on a cake I promised. Well, as I was finished making the raspberry mousse filling I felt a vibration under my feet. We live off a main road that runs to the prison so I thought for a second it was a large truck. But the vibration continued and started to get stronger, for a spilt second I thought it was thunder. It sounded like thunder, but the vibration turned from a vibration to shaking and A LOT OF IT!! Mind you by the time I realized we were having an earthquake, a mere seconds, the house was really being shaken. I hollered at Madie who was in the kitchen with me to come get in the door way with me, Alan had already gotten Adam under the table and was already on his way down from upstairs with a sleeping Maegan. The shaking continued. It lasted for a good minute or two. Like I said enough time for all of earthquake virgins to understand we were feeling an earthquake and for Alan to get upstairs and back down with Maegan. He even got her under the table a good thirty seconds before the shaking quit. It was so freakin' scary. All I kept thinking was Thank God we have good contruction...Madie and I had to have a good long cry. She from fright and my from both fright and adrenaline. It was amazing, frightening and exhilirating all at the same time. A few minutes after the first quake we got a few aftershocks that didn't last long at all. So we got back to making and decorating the cake, when BAMMM we got hit again. This time, none of us panicked, we got to the doorway and under the table and it was over. Mind you by this time Madie and I are beyond frazzled and the rest of my family, well they were great of course. The boys were excited and Maegan was indifferent. After a good thirty minutes of nothing more Madie and I ran to the store to get yet more crap I forgot. Apparently on our way there we had yet another earthquake...Alan got on the Geological Society web page. Apparently we live on a fault line. The same fault as Haiti! The epicenter of the quake was about thirty miles away in Guantanamo Bay City...That first quake was a 5.6, the second was a 4 somthing and the last one Madie and I didn't feel because we were driving was 5.2. Yeah I was prepared for hurricanes, not too worried about those in fact, we have hurricane proof housing and there are caves we can evacuate to if it is a big hurricane. But earthquakes...had no clue. No way to describe the feeling of having the very ground beneath you move. Other worldly. I have a whole new respect for Californians and anyone else who lives with this all the time. It was very unnerving...

So the rest of Saturday Madie was on gaurd. If she heard any sort of deep bass noise she would get all glassy eyed and turn toward us to see if we needed to take shelter. However, by Saturday night she seemed better and we sent the kids to bed before all our hospital friends came to play games. I made fried avacados, something I had at our cooking night, and they were a huge hit...a good time was had by all. So off to bed Alan and I go, only to be awakened at 3 am by Maegan needing water. She went back to bed, only to wake again at 4:30 and get in bed with us. Needless to say I couldn't go back to sleep. I was up until 6 and was all kinds of willing to NOT go to church for the first time since getting to the island when Alan reminded me he had to be at work at 8:30..then as I am drifiting back off to sleep, now I am pissed mind you, woodpeckers started pecking our roof. It started with one of the little bastards, then two more joined in. I figured that must be God telling me that I had to go to church and to get my lazy butt out of bed. So off to work we sent Alan, then off to church. I dropped the kids at CCD and then ran to the store once more for one more blooming thing for the shower, ran to the house to get both the shower cake and the diaper cake, ran to the Bayview resturant to set up for the shower and drop off the cakes, and then back to the church to get the kids. I got the kids, got to the shower, was incharge of all the games, and got all the presents taken care of and boxed up. Then I got the kids together, and Alan who walked from the hospital to the resturant, and we headed home to change clothes and get ready for Adam's basketball awards. Once we got home he decided to forgo the awards, which is when I should have had a nap, but alas I didn't. I had took Madie to girl scouts to make sea glass jewlery. Then I was back home to get dinner ready. But Alan and I decided to have a quick "crap" run and get a movie, and he had to go back to work once more. So I dropped him off, went to the movie store only to find out I had no wallet and while I was trying to remember when I had last had it, Adam started getting upset and apologizing. He said he had it at the shower, and he left it on the table. I then got everyone back in the car and went to the resturant, mind you they aren't open past 2pm, it was about 4:15, but the officer's bar is open at 4:30, which is in the same building. So after spending twenty minutes trying to find someone who had worked the lunch shift I left, sans wallet. We went back to the hospital to get Alan and tell him about the wayward wallet and finish our treck. Truth be told I was exhausted and pissed by this time. Exhausted, anemic- I get that way around that time of the month, and PMSing. I was a pleasant person I tell you...Anyway we got back home, ate and I headed to bed. Yep I was asleep by 6. I was semi-aware of the kids and Alan getting ready for bed and all that but quickly fell into lala land. Only to be ripped out of sleep at midnight by a miserable Maegan. Her "gina" was hurting her. And once again I got her in bed and couldn't fall back asleep. So I was up until 3. I got back in bed and was almost asleep when Maegan got up once again. She was whimpering, but went potty and seemed fine. Then at 5:15 I heard her whimpering again and sent Alan who was up to get her. Apparently she was having none of him and stayed in her bed. While he showered I hollered at her and she came into bed. She was burning up with a fever and she croaked her throat hurt. ARG!!!

So the day has begun. I gave Maegan some Motrin, sent Alan to work with the car, got the kids on the bus this morning and have called all my girlfiends to tell them that I was not going to make it snorkeling this morning. Now of course the Mortin has kicked in. Maegan has had, count them, TWO pancake and sausages on a stick, and is dancing around to Sid the Science Kid. She has also come in and asked me to help her put a band-aid on a scratch on her nostril. "Do I look wierd Mom?"

"Umm yep you do!"

A shrug of her shoulders, a quick little jig and "who cares? You think I am beautiful huh!"

Yes I do.

So now you are caught up with what I did just this week. It has been a long one. I am hoping to hit the gym at 6 tomorrow morning. My girlfirend Terie teaches total body conditioning on Tues and Thurs. I went Tuesday past and felt sore all week, but it was a great workout. Hell I even ran. I haven't run in a good ten to fifteen years....other than that, I am going to work on getting my bottles ready for the craft fair in April and I have crafts I want to get done BEFORE the end of April so that I have all my gifts ready for when I come home...

Know that I love you all and think of you constantly~

bird crap

2010-03-05T08:54:00.000-05:00

Yep, I said bird crap....Well really I want to call it what it really is, but I'm trying to keep this entry somewhere under the PG rating....

Okay so bird crap is what happens when you don't roll up your windows at night. That's right my friends! This morning the whole family went out to the car to go to work and school when low and behold our car had become a roosting spot for birds overnight....

Imagine if you will this scene: the kids and I are in a rush to get to school and of course we are waiting on Alan...so the kids and I walked up to the car oblivious of the chaos we are about to be a part of. As we approach the doors we hear flap, flap, FLAP! Birds!! I swear there were like 6,000 freakin icky yucky birds in our car. Their wings were a going and they were squawking, although not as loud as the Chronister's...the darn birds had a hell of a time getting out of the car, and by the time they did we were all in hysterics. Madie who says she loves animals but in reality is scared to death of them, Maegan who thinks all animals were put on the earth just for her and Adam who wants to disect the damn things to see how they work. And then you have me. I have seen the Hitchcock great The Birds, and I tell you it scared the hell out of me. Complete with nightmares and all....I HATE BIRDS. I do. It is that simple...anyway, you can imagine all of us screeching, the 20,000 birds screeching...and the neighborhood watching.

Yep...the kids waiting for the bus across the street, the moms waiting for the kids to diappear and Alan. He walked out of the house just as the last bird took flight. Once the comotion and hysterics ended the street started laughing. First the punk kindergarten and high school kids waiting across the street started giggling and then our neighbor lady starting gawfing and then, the damn little traitors, my children. YES MY CHILDREN started cackling. I wasn't ready to laugh. I wanted to get a gun and shoot first the birds, then the neighbors and finally my children, who laughed all the way to school.

I did finally get a good laugh out of the whole thing when we got to school and both Madie and Adam had bird crap on their bums...Yes, it was a great day, oooh and the bird poop...EVERYWHERE..we must of scared it out of the roosting birds. How in the world do you get bird poop out of upholstery???

Hoe your days are free of birds and their poop. I send you all my love....

Revelation

2010-03-03T20:07:00.001-05:00

First and foremost, we can have visitors again...wait I think. Well they lifted the leave and liberty ban at any rate, so Alan can leave the island come May. Now all we have to hope and pray for is that the command lets him take a full month off....Pray people, pray. The man hasn't had a day off since we got here, he NEEDS to be able to take a break....

Secondly. I was sitting here blowing my very stuffy nose for like the trillionth time reading Facebook. I am looking at a friends status that says she is celebrating her son's ten birthday and am blown away. My thoughts: Good Lord, TEN...Geeze I thought she was my age, that would mean she would have to be like a teenager when she had him. Hummm let's see, 33-10 is what 23..23!!! WHAT THE $#%^ ?? 23, that isn't young. Crap, I have an eight year old...When the hell did this happen. She's eight!!

Then I channeled Joey Trib from "Friends,"- Why God WHY??? Aging sucks...I am just now getting into the body I wished I had had in High School and yet, well wait a minute...I'm not that old. I mean hell I still have a good 50-60 years left right? So really I am still a newbie...Ahhh see all's good in the world again...

And that my friends is a look into the crazy that is Monica...I send you all my love

no new pictures

2010-02-23T08:53:00.000-05:00

My Mom...So Llaurel calls me and asks if I had talked to mom recently. I had just gotten off the phone, but we hadn't talked about anything in particular. So Llaurel tells me this: Apparently Randy had seen a picture of me posted on Facebook and emailed it to mom. Mom asked him why in the hell he was emailing her pictures of random women. At which point he told her it was me. She couldn't believe it. Mind you, I have cut and permed my hair and the weight loss is still going strong, so I don't blame her for not realizing it was me.

Now I tell you this story for one reason only. For those of you who will be seeing me come May, well I don't want you to see me BEFORE then. So all pictures will be stopped, at least as much as I can. I want a big reveal and so getting sneak peaks of me aren't allowed. Granted that means I have to get my friends to play along with me, but they are good sports so this should work.

So things here aren't nearly as crazy as they were before I quit working at the Treasure shop. I have taken to watching girlfriends kids, which is nice since Maegan loves playing with the kids. And I have a big craft fair this Sunday that I will be participating in. I will be selling bottles. Bottles are big here, and no one sells them. Esentially, we are slowly cleaning up the litter left behind in the 30's. The bottles are so cool. Most of them have Cuba stamped somewhere on them, which is huge here. I was going to sell salsa as well, but just found out that I need a special permit for that and I haven't gotten that yet. Oops. So I will sell salsa at the next craft fair in April. Until then, it will be bottles.

Okay quick news today and I never blogged about the kids. Crud...well I am late for a date so that will have to be next time. Until then, I send you all my love....-Monica

three weeks...good Lord

2010-02-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

I have a ton to tell you. But in order to catch up on all the happenings, I will have to go back in time. I will try to do a quick recap...well you know with me, I have no clue how to make it quick...
Okay the last time I wrote, lets see...Devin Lewis had come to visit and Llaurel was giving all her babysitting props to Chy...
Okay so the last week of Jan I left the island and headed to the states. I was sweating it I tell you. As I am sure you all know by now the DC area was hit by snow-magedon and snow-pocolipse and my personal favorite, snow-gasim. Well I flew into BWI on the tail end of one such storm and subsequently was snowed in for two days. But lucky me I got to hang with Spencer, Jen and Eric. It was great. Spence took me to a fantastic play called "I am my own wife" and then we had a great dinner with Jen and Eric. The following day I encouraged Spence to call in sick and we headed out to explore the white city. I promised the kids pictures of all the great sites in DC in the snow. So Spencer took me to the top of the Washington Monument and I got pics of all the sites, which freed up our after noon at which point we had lunch at the Tombs and a great Hot Cocoa from some little chocolate spot. It was a great few days. I missed all my kids and Alan somethin' fierce, but I did find it in me to enjoy my first time alone since being pregers with Madie.
After all that fun with Spencer I was finally able to head to VaBeach and my Peyton. It was amazing driving in the snow and just going fast. It took me a good hour to get brave enough to hit 60mph and I never passed anyone that first hour. I finally got my driving nerves back and was able to actually hit the speed limit and pass people by the time I hit Richmond.
Once in VaBeach I played and played. Peyton and I hit every store imaginable. I went to Victoria's Secret for the first time in my life and bought myself a few bras. Then Peyton hit and made me go to her bra fitting lady at Dillard's. Can I tell you, this woman rocked. I think Vic's Secret is really all about selling their bras, not really getting you into the right size. The lady at Dillard's? Holy Moses, she got my girls up and sitting pretty. I am so happy...First time in my life that I can remember being in a, get this, 34....Yep that is right, a 34. Who would have imagined?? Not me that is for sure. But I look a thousand times better. So the other bras went back to Vic's Secret. Then I shopped for my Gtmo family. I had a long old list with everything from breast pumps to bingo games. I am telling you I was running around VaBeach everyday. I bought things for the kids that we have been living without for the last six months. I got Adam his yogurt and butter. Bought him donuts and ceral bars. For Alan and the girls I bought Chipotle, Bojangles and Dunkin' Donuts. I am telling you, I went to VaBeach with two very large empty suitcases and a small carry on suitcase. I left with 184 lbs of new crap and to top it off, I had to send myself two boxes weighing in over 70lbs together. But I think our family as well as my Gtmo family is set for the forseeable future.
Then it was time to come home. I was scheduled to leave out of BWI on Sat the 6th of Feb. Alas that was when the next wave of snow hit DC and I was stranded in VaBeach. So I made the most of it, of course hanging with Peyton and her family was no big sacrifice I tell you. She cooked for me, let me rent an ass load of movies and even indulged me by going to the movies with me. I had a great snow in. Then on Tuesday the 9th I finally boarded a plane out of Norfolk headed to Gtmo. I got on the plane with sweat pants, two jackets and gloves. I stayed dressed like that and added two blankets until we flew over the Bahamas. I then shed my sweat pants for a skirt, took off the gloves and packed up my jackets. By the time I hit the island I was still freezing, but looking forward to the sun. I made Alan ride on the top of the ferry, no shade mind you, and by the time the ferry was docked on the winward side I had thawed out. I could feel my toes for the first time in 10 days. It was glorious being back in my Caribbean Home. Have I mentioned I love GTMO??
And now that I am home I have been so busy. I would like to say I have been busy doing lots of productive things, but I haven't. Nope I have been playing with the kids, and hanging with my peeps. Sat night I was out until 2am with girlfriends hanging and visiting. Well we did have a go at a bounce house. Nothing like six grown women trying to jump in a bounce house at midnight. Can you say alcohol much?
And yesterday our good friends Matthew and Monique Ford renewed their wedding vows. It was so beautiful and touching. We then went to the reception at Rick's Lounge, complete with kids- can you imagine going to a bar with kids in the states? and then our hospital friends came over and played games until midnight. Whew
Tonight my handsome husband has a date planned for me, a surprise. And then the week starts all over for us.

And now I sit here, contemplating life, and I realize that I am one blessed woman. I have a husband I love and and adore, kids that are amazing, and friends that love me. Not to mention my families, and well, I am a bit swooshy right this minute.
My next blog will be all about my amazing children. I have things to say about them. Until then I send you all my love
PS sorry about all the mispellings, my spell check button is missing and I can't find it on my blog page. Until I figure this out, you will have to tolerate all my mistakes..

My Llaurel

2010-01-23T16:08:00.000-05:00

I just read Llaurel's blog so for those of you who don't read hers, please bear with me. In fact you can just ignore this blog...Now for the rest of you.

First and foremost..Llaurel made mention of Chy and her great babysitting rule of cleaning up the house before the parents come. It results in ooows and aaahs from the parents, more money AND they call you back...I, me, Monica, I taught Chy that rule. Of course Chy had much more sucess of it. And I love the fact that I taught some one something that they thought was important enough to pass along.

As for Llaurel and her great story...I really could see you making outfit choices and telling that little Whataburger man that you would come back. I can hear your voice and the excitment you must have exuded. I miss you too Llaurel. And I miss fighting with Jess, getting frustrated with Chy and how long it takes to tell a story, rolling my eyes at Llaurel and her dramatic ways, laughing at mom and dad, and playing games. I MISS YOU ALL SO FREAKIN MUCH!!
Soon my family. I will see you soon

Our First US Visitor and other info

2010-01-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

So I am running around in my tank and flannel pj bottoms cleaning this morning. Now mind you, I have no new clothes, well not many at any rate, and so my tank is 20Xs too big for me and body parts aren't covered very well. First to come to our door. My girlfriend Gail came to drop her daughter Rachel off. I had invited her mind you, but completely forgot as I finally had enough time and energy to clean. I am sure Gail got an eye full, but hey we are talking about one of my island peeps and well we share EVERYTHING, so it wasn't that big a deal.

Then as I am scrubbing our disgusting toilet when I hear Alan cusing as his pager goes off. A few minutes later, and I am still scrubbing the awful toilet, I hear Alan giving directions to our house to someone. I am thinking it must be the other pharmacists they just flew in to help with the Haiti relief. Then Alan comes in and says Devin Lewis is here and on his way over....DEVIN?? As in Devin? I ask. After Alan laughs at me and says yes I go into panic mode. Shoot I have no clothes on, the downstairs isn't very pretty, yikes...So I do a mad dash for the clothes and the broom. And of course the house is fine and in comes Devin. He is here are part of a flight crew that is flying stuff into Haiti every day. It was so nice to sit and talk to him and see him. I miss the Lewis Family, such good friends....At any rate he stayed for about an hour and then told us to come see him on the Leeward side sometime this week. He said if we go later in the day when his flights are taking off we'll get to see LOTS! Yippee. So hopefully we'll get to go over and see the relief effort we are doing here in Gtmo. I was just so happy to see one of our off island friends, and having Devin be our first visitor was great.

Now for me and my plans. I am supposed to be going to VA this week coming up. Maegan is staying here with Gail and I am nervous as can be. Of course I still don't know when I will be leaving. The hospital is in charge of getting me on a flight and making my appointments and that is taking too long or something. Anyway I will be sure to let you all know when I am headed to the US.

So other than our visitor we are having friends over tonight to make friendship bread and have dinner with us. Of course I am sure we will fit a game in there as well. Then tomorrow we will finish our aborted cleaning upstairs and Alan has to fix our lawn mower. I hired two local boys to mow our lawn for a whole $16 instead of the $60 the Filipinos wanted to charge me...So now I will have a nicer mowed lawn. Lets see what else? Oh on Monday night Treasures and Trivia is hosting a wine and cheese night to bring in all our memembers to shop. That and the board wants it to be my "thank you" night. Then I may be leaving on Tuesday. If I don't then back to work on Wed and all that jazz.

Nothing new with the kids. It is back to being pretty dang hot outside, today it is 95, and so even though Adam has been outside ALL afternoon, he is now here in the house complaining that he is bored. Madie and Rachel are playing PayDay and Maegan is moping and sweeping with her cleaning stuff from Santa. I am about to go check my roast, mop my kitchen and make the kids clean up their crafts that they did earlier. Good times...I hope your lives are as fun packed as mine, I send you my love

Haitian evacuees and other such info

2010-01-21T08:42:00.000-05:00

We finally got some sort of official word yesterday. Since the quake last Tuesday we islanders have just been hearing and passing along the rumors. But finally this Tuesday the CO of the base, Capt Blaisdell got on our local radio station and did a Q&A session. Then they posted some info on our roller channel on the TV, the roller is like the newspaper as we don't have one...Anyway, as of right now we have no Haitians on base. We had UN and American's come in for medical treatment the first few days after the quake, but since then nothing. That doesn't mean NAVSTA GTMO hasn't been busy. The hospital is gearing up for thousands of Haitians. The hospital has converted their ER into an ICU and the ER is now out in tents. They have flown in extra help as well. Alan ordered enough drugs for 10000 people and they are converting the office space in the pharmacy to store meds. They are also in the process of adding people to Alan's office so that other offices can be converted. As for the rest of the base..We have an old airport here on the Winward side of the base. There are two sides to the base, Winward ( the side we live on) and Leeward. There are a few residents on the Leeward side, but for the most part all base activities happen on the Winward side. The Leeward side has the airport. Anyway, we have an old airport here on the Winward side as well as a huge complex that isn't being used at the time. So for now that whole area has been closed off to the residents, in order to put Haitians there if the Leeward side gets too many. However, most of the tents and supplies are over at the Leeward side of the base. The only thing that has really affected the residents is the cancellation of all visitors for the forseable future and they closed our favorite beaches. Girl Scout and Glass Beach are now off limits. I will have to go snorkleing in order to get sea glass now....Small price to pay to help so many.

So that is the update on the base goings on. There are not plans to evacuate us any time soon. Heck we don't even have any Haitians yet, so.....

As for other news. I am leaving Treasures and Trivia. My last day is Feb 15th. It is a bitter sweet end really. I loved working there for two reasons. First it gave me a great opprotunity to meet new people and two Maegan made a ton of friends. But alas, Momma needs more money, so I am hoping to babysit and/or sub at the school. We shall see what happens.

I am leaving the island sometime next week. The down side, Maegan has to stay on island. I am being medivaced out,I am getting an MRI as well as my post sugery check up. Since I will be a confirmed seat, and Maegan would be going as a non-paid seat, the chances of her getting on the plane are slim. If the quake hadn't hit, then it wouldn't be a problem, but all available seats are being used, so...I have some wonderful girlfriends here and two or three of them have offered to shuttle Maegan around next week for me. Which means I get to go to VA, and be with my Peyton all by myself. YIPPEE...I have shopping to do, appointments to go to and chit chat to catch up on. I am so flippin' excited. Nervous too, I haven't ever left Maegan for this long. I know, I know she is four, but Lord you know how long it took me to leave Madie and Adam. I will be worried about the family the entire time I am gone....and with the earth moving the way it has been, what if I can't get back to my family??? Yeah I have to stop going down that road or I will never get on the plane...

The kids are doing great. Madie has now spent the night at another friends house. That makes two times she has had sleepovers. She has gotten so sure of herself...Adam is, well Adam. He is still dirty all the time and he is turning into such a BOY. Just two days ago Maegan found a lizard in the bathroom and instead of calling on Dad, who was laying in bed by the way, she yelled for Adam. Adam came into the bathroom, scooped up the little dying lizard and ushered it outside. Course the damn thing died and ants ate it within minutes, but he tried to rescue the lizard. Go boy go.

So that is it for now. I am missing the family somthing fierce. I just read Llaurel's blog. I love that girl. She is too much. Too cute, too sweet, too MUCH!! Jesse, well shoot I have no clue on. I know he was starting P90X, which Alan has started again, and he is headed to school somewhere and lets see he graduates soon. I know nothing about this boy...And there is Chy. I have been praying like crazy for Chy and her job situations, but we don't talk like we used to. Who coould, heck it costs a ton to talk to each other. As for mom and Randy. Well quite frankly I just want to be with them. And my Dad hasn't been hinting enough that he misses us and would love to visit with us as well. Lord I love Gtmo, but I miss the ability to just get in a car and drive to family...

Okay until later I send you all my love

Earthquakes, Gtmo and Haiti

2010-01-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

Hello All. Boy has it been busy here, I thought I would fill you in.
We felt an after shock or our own earth quake about the same time that Haiti got hit. We have had a lot of earthquakes here in the last few months, nothing big just slight tremors but the seismic activity has definitely increased according to our environmentalist. The kids and I didn't feel it at all, we were driving, but almost everyone I have talked to felt it, as did Alan. We were on tsunami watch for the 12 hours right after the quake, obviously nothing came of that.

Alan was called into the hospital the yesterday morning around 5am, we had inbound wounded and all essential hospital staff has to be on premises...Alan being the only pharmacist on island, in he went. On top of being the pharmacist he was the Command Duty Officer for the day, essentially he was the man in charge of reporting all the goings on to the Commanding Officer (CO) and he was the gofer. I saw him this morning and he seemed to being doing good regardless of his lack of sleep. He is needed at the hospital until all the surgeries are finished ( and they flew in an extra surgeon last night) and no wounded are immediately inbound. Being the ONLY pharmacist on island means he has to be at the hospital to make all the drugs needed for the surgeries and then he has to stay until the surgeries are complete in case they need anything else. Same with the incoming wounded. At any rate according to Alan as of this morning:

We have had at least 8 wounded helo-ed in, and four have had to be evacuated to the US. All of our wounded that have come here are from the UN or Embassies...We are supposed to be getting at least 8 more wounded sometime today.
Since we are such a small hospital, think rural country size here, I think we only have something like 12 beds if that...anyway, since we are so small and we are not a trauma center by any means most of the wounded are going to other places. We are ready and able to support refugees but that is still up in the air. 10 years ago when Haiti was in the middle of their civil war Gtmo was turned into a tent city. We had thousands here apparently. And if that needs to happen again, all the dependents ( the kids and I ) will be evacuated. However, as of right now, that isn't in the works. I think the US and UN are still just trying to get there to help.

As for any of our personnel being deployed to Haiti, that isn't what this base does. We do not have helicopters, airplanes or ships of any kind. We are simply a functionary base. All the troops and relief will come from Norfolk and/or other bases in VA. The Norfolk base in VA is the largest Naval base in the world and they will do all the deploying. There is a naval carrier on its way, and an LHD which is smaller than a carrier, but is equipped with a hospital area ( this is the same type ship Alan was on last year) and either the Comfort or the Mercy will be headed there. So, here on Gtmo we are just going to be helping here, not out there.

As for the wives here, we have been busy. We raided the thrift store I manage and packed 20 trash bags full of clothes for people there. And I know the chapel is getting together a bunch of food. Haiti has had a time of it...I have been praying for them for years. I am sure God has a plan for that little island, just wish it wasn't so devastating....

I will keep you posted as things happen here. I send you all our love, keep sending your prayers...

Some pics

2010-01-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

A few pictures of our little one right before the Christmas Pagent

And here are some pics of what I did on New Year's Eve. I was invited to go snorkeling for the first time. I had a great time and can't wait to go out again. This first picture is what I usually find on the beaches. The sea glass we have here is mostly browns, greens and clear. We can usually find some small shells, nothing huge.

Blue sea glass and larger shells are rarer. Not an impossiblity to find mind you, just rare. For example jewlery made with blue sea glass will cost you about double what other colors will. On New Year's Eve I did find some blues, nothing too big. But I did find the mother of all reds. Red and Black sea glass is the rarest, at least around here. There are many ladies here who haven't found any red the entire time they were here. I never expected to find any. But I did. The best part, I had no glasses on. For those who don't know I can NOT see without my glasses on at all. I can see blobs of color, but in order to actually see something I have to have it no further from my face than five inches. So while we were snorkeling the girls would watch for jelly fish and lead me to where I needed to go, because I couldn't see.

So at one point we swam up to a small beachy area and Kristene was sitting in the rocks digging for glass. It took me a good five minutes to get to where she was. I had to get my fins off and then make my way up to her. When I got there, I looked down and saw some red. I thought it must have been a rock since Kristene wasn't bothering with it. It was right between her two feet. So I bent over and picked it up thinking that I could use the rock since the red was so briliant. What I picked up was NOT a rock. What it was was a gigantic piece of red sea glass. It is huge. Worth somewhere around $400-$500. I was screaming, Kristene was screaming and then Chris, our other friend made it over to us, and she screamed. An amazing find....

This is the piece next to greens I usually find. You can tell how much bigger the red is.

Kristene makes sun catchers, ornaments and jewlery with the sea glass she finds and then sells it at the craft fairs. She suggested I make a sun catcher out of it. Chris however thinks I should get Rebecca, our jewlery maker friend to make me a necklace out of it. Now I must say as far as jewlery is concerned, Rebecca is a class act. She makes the most beautiful jewlery I have seen. So what to do with it is the question.
News of my find has traveled fast and I have been called a lot of names, all in good fun of course....My favorite being the "Red B####" Everyone is jealous in that nice kinda way, at least none of the comments hold malice...
So I just thought I would share my finds with you. I send you all my love

Family Pictures at the beach

2009-12-27T19:51:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of all of us in a Banyon Tree. There are banyons all over the island, just loved this one

The Family at Ferry Lnading Beach, I have hair that is a throw back to the 80's punk rock movement, but there isn't much I can do with the little amount I have. And it is still falling out. Aren't we perfect?

Our angels being all sweet, we have pics of them splashing each other later

My husband and I looking all romatic

You can't tell, but this skirt is about five sizes too big for me and I had to pin it on the other side.

And one last pic at the banyon tree. The tree itself had a ton of termites crawling all over it, but here at the tire swing all is well. Adam had gotten to the breaking point and was done. Poor kid got yelled at by momma..

Okay that is all for now, uploading these took two hours, love our connections. I send you all my love

Christmas Week

2009-12-27T18:01:00.000-05:00

So much to tell you all and I have no idea where to begin or what to tell you. So I will just begin by telling you some things, and pardon me if I lose you in all my ramblings.

First, just a quick update. I have had a horrible week here as far as eating and pain are concerned. I have either overeaten or ate the wrong things all week. My body is on protest and I am now rationing myself to soups for the next few days so that I can "cleanse" my system. I really think making cookies, pies, potatoes, caramel rolls....all those things got me. I don't know how to cook without tasting it, so i over did it. I thought I was doing okay, not too too bad, but then last night I went over the edge. We were invited to a post Christmas party at the Bosts and can I just say, I should have known better. Chris, God bless her had cranberry margaritas. CRANBERRY MARGARITAS!!!! I can't drink much mind you. I shouldn't drink at all, seeing as that one sip usually results in instant drunkeness and the shakes from my metabolism turning the alcohol into sugar. At any rate I had about half a cup. So not only did I drink far more than I usually do, but I drank something that had sugar, three different alcohols and well, DANG IT is was so good....Then Bryan, God bless him. He made brisket, smoked brisket and smoked pork shoulder. My mouth is watering again just thinking about it. The brisket didn't sit well with me, but the pig, YUMMO...Alas I stood up to leave my merry friends, and a good time we were having too, when the a headache set in and my stomachs started yelling. BOTH OF THEM....So I fought off a migrane all night last night and today my "old" large stomach is not very happy. Needless to say, SOUP!!

Oh and so for the update. I am down to 215lbs. When I first started this whole process, I was 344lbs. So for all those who are not math wizards, that is 129lbs. If you got a chance to see our Christmas wishes on tv, I weighed a good twenty pounds more. My top is so flippin' small that I fit in XL fitted shirts and L knit shirts. And just the other day I wore a pair of L sweat pants.. I don't think I am quite a 16 pants yet, but I haven't tried any pants on as I am a skirt wearing hippie now a days...

Okay now for kid info. No wait, I am going to fill you in on my hadsome husband Alan. Right now is chaos at work for him. His CO (commanding officer) who just got here in Sept. is leaving. His wife, who battled breast cancer almost five years ago was rediagnosed with it. It has spread all over her body. I got a chance to spend time with her, before we found out about the new cancer, and she is a wonderful person. Keep her in your prayers if you are so inclined. At any rate, the island here can not support her medical needs, so they are PCSing(moving) at the end of the month. So a new CO is on board and that alone entails lots of changes of course. Add to that, Joint Commision is coming. JaCo for short. JaCo is the governing force for military hospitals, sort of like having Medicare coming in. They will be here the week of Jan 11. This means that the hospital staff is in uproar. Everyone who works at our itty bitty hospital is being run ragged and doing their jobs and cleaning the hospital and well it is nuts. So Alan is a busy beaver. Add to that JTF what that equals is Alan at work non-stop.

So that takes care of me and Alan, now for the kids. First Maegan. She is a mess. She is in the middle of huge growth sprut, complete with eating non-stop and the cranks. She has a ton of clothes she could fit in just last week, that now won't even come close to fitting her. She is so cranky and frustrated poor girl. Christmas was rough on her. She tried to be patient while we took turns opening presents, but after doing that for about an hour she had had it. So with the family's blessing she opened all her gifts. It bit her in the butt. SHe was convinced that Madie had more presents than she did. She went so far as to tell me that Madie had a "Crap Load". Yea, good language...That Alan....hahaha. She did have a great Christmas Eve though. She played an angel in the Nativity Play the kids did for the children's mass. She was adorable sitting up in the sancurary. She spent time up there shaking her finger at the other kids and waving to me and Alan. She was cute as a bug. The pictures I took with my camera, well lets just say, they blew. So there are none as of now. I have a mom who promised to get me a copy, but who knows if that will happen.

Now for Aders. He is growing into such a kidder. He loves jokes and playing pranks. He also loves dirt, running, playing and right now he is so into science it is bordering wierd....He got a microscope from Santa and a science lab from Alan and me. He has been playing all day with it, and now is asking for a telescope for his birthday. He got to play a lamb in the church play and can I just say, my son is destined to be a priest. He sat up on that altar with a sweet little face and never talked to anyone and in general was excellent. The boy didn't even wiggle. Chruching is serious to my boy....

And Madie. She got a potters wheel for her birthday and today we finally had a chance to get to it. She made five different things and I think she may be a little artist in the making. She was so happy out there shaping her clay, she was singing and just in hog heaven...As for the christmas play, she got to play Mary. I must clarify here real quick. the kids just acted the parts, there were no lines to say. That said, of course Madie was the best darn Mary in the world. She was so cute. She did tell me she was nervous though right before we got to church, I think that went away quickly though. I think it must be hard to be nervous when everyone in the audience are the people you interact with day in and out. For Christmas Madie got a Whoopsie Poopsie Baby Alive from Santa. The child went ape ^&%$ crazy when she torn into it. She was so happy and now I have a DOLL pooping all over. Arg....

So that sums up Christmas and Christmas Eve. This week Alan is supposed to have half days at the office, but I think he will be working late everyday getting things ready for JaCo. The kids get to go to work with me tomorrow and Wed, but now that they have things to take up there we should be doing good. There are no New Years plans as of now, but we are going to go play Family Kickball on Wed afternoon and then having some friends over for games that night...Social Butterflies are we.....

So my friends, know that I thought of you and prayed for you this week and I send you all my love

Lost Tooth

2009-12-16T19:21:00.000-05:00

My beautiful son has finally lost his front tooth. After four years of struggling to keep the tooth in his head, I pulled it out today. For those who don't know, Adam was tripped viciously by my yogroundngest sister Llaurel when he was a mere two years old. She threw him down on the ground at my parents home. If that wasn't enough, Mom was renovating the house and had pulled all the carpet up, so when my small little toddler was tripped and thrown onto the ground his face met concrete. He had a huge gapping hole in his lip, we could see the fatty tissue and his tounge was a mess. There was a rush to the ER and we were told to go home, not any thing they could do for mouth wounds. Three months later we had an emergancy visit to the dentist who promptly removed his front right tooth. He had developed an abcess.

It gets better, a week later he tripped himself coming down the stairs and smacked his face once more, this time on the tile of our kitchen floor. Again we had the bloody pulpy mess of a mouth and his left tooth was hanging by a thread. I promptly shoved that tooth back into his head and again we rushed to the dentist. They gave antibiotics and we prayed for the best. The tooth got firm again and we saved his tooth!!! It took work though. Numerous times that dang tooth has gotten loose and he has stopped messing with it and it has firmed back up. Last year at the dentist when they took his exrays, we discovered that he had no root to the tooth and only tissue was holding it firmly in place.

Now four years have past since we lost his baby tooth to the concrete...it was a bittersweet loss. He messed and messed with the darn thing, and I was once again asked by my child to help pull the tooth. Now this is the cool part. We got the tooth out and upon inspection discovered that it was hollow. Very cool. And Ader's mouth, there is a pretty prominent piece of gum tissue hanging down. It is the tissue that had grown into the tooth to keep it in place. Now my son is toothless, but he has a weird gum thing hanging down where a tooth should be.

*Incidently, Llaurel swears Adam tripped over his too big boots, but we all know what really happend.....

2009-12-14T16:37:00.000-05:00

Just a quickie. Got Cheer banquet tonight, making decorations for Santa and Pizza tomorrow as well as hosting our cooking and book club holiday party at the house. Then decorating the gym for Santa and pizza and then attending on Wed. Thurs Adam's holiday party. Fri is Madie's holiday party and finally Saturday I have yet another cookie exchange. Whew. After that, I will finally be done with these weeks of activity...So, until Saturday I am out my friends, but after that I promise to post the pics I promised last week. Much love to you all

parades and things

2009-12-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

Okay so this weekend and week have been quiet the Christmas Extravaganza....First we had our first Gtmo Parade...It was so much like Pioneer Reunion in the fact that everyone can be in the parade. So there was a great veriety of people. However, here in Gtmo we have the Electric Light Parade...Yes my friends, Pioneer Reunion at night with lights...Imagine. There were golf carts and mules all decked out with tinsel and lights, trucks and even boats. Yep BOATS. We had all our fire trucks out as well. And the best part, all the "floats" came complete with music and people chunking candy at us. I got pletted in the head at least twice. We even had a gaggle of nutty ladies, ours were the Latinio Club, dancing and singing. Made me miss Mrs.Graves.

Madie did get to walk and cheer in the parade. Mind you the route was a good two miles. She was so flippin' cute, but a real crank after it was done. Her feet hurt, her throat hurt and she was all sweaty hot. I tell you she was a mess. But after she cooled off and got a drink she was better. I have pictures but as I am writing to you all on my hubby's laptop, I have yet to download the pics....So again you must wait.

This week has been Winter Wonderland week up at the school. Winter Wonderland is a kids shopping area that was set up and stocked with stuff for the kids to buy their families. I know we did it in FtWorth when I was a kid and I think I even got a few things from Llaurel and Jesse from their shopping at the school. At any rate I volunteered to help on Tuesday. Lots of fun. Nothing like helping kindergardners to shop. Lots of interesting things were bought. My favorite is that some of the kids bought their moms tools. Reminds me of mom....

Tonight we have the school concert. The kids are going to sing some more and there is an art show before the concert. Can I just say, whew. I am so tired, I have been making sure to take the B12 for energy. My little ones don't seem very excited about the concert, so I am hoping it goes well.

Then tomorrow, REST DAY. Maegan and I actually will be home ALL day. Nothing is planned for tomorrow. I do have to make a gift for a party Alan and I are going to on Friday, but that is it. YIPPEE. Of course that means I will be doing laundry all day, but shoot I am all for vegging in front of the tv and doing laundry.

Friday is date night. At 4 Alan and I will be heading to a hospital party then we will be off to Rick's Lounge to drink and celebrate the holidays with the spouses club. Lots to do, but we are having fun...At least I think we are

So there is the update. I hope to get the pictures from the parade and the concert tonight loaded tomorrow. Know that I miss you all and I send you my love

Bummed

2009-12-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

I'm so BLUE!! This Christmas season has made me a real scrooge. I am missing our families back in the states so much right now. Apparently I am not the only one. A lot of people have told me that Christmas is done up so much here to help counter act the sorrow we all suffer at being away from family and friends.

And I am telling you I am BLUE!

At any rate I am trying to suck it up, and get over it in my mom's famous words, but today I got a big old blow.

Madie got her package from her Nana and Papa for her birthday. In it was this...

Just look at how beautiful and happy they all look. Chy and her smile, Llaurel and her grin, my handsome little brother and that hair. Not to mention my absolutely gorgeous parents.

Only thing missing is me. I miss them so freakin' much. And I know, Alan and I are the ones that

left, none of them said join the Navy you freaks, move thousands of miles away, lose all your money and never be able to visit us....Well POOP...

I opened the envelope and just started crying. Then I started thinking about all my family, my mother and father-in-law, GG, Dad and Steph, Peyton and Chris, Tammie, George and Dan, Papa Jim and Grandma Carla, Patty and Dave. The list is endless. So just as a shout out to all of you that are reading, and well only my family and friends read this, so just know that I miss you all. I send you my love

2009-12-01T16:02:00.000-05:00

And now for the much awaited, long promised

PICTURES

We begin with Madie's birthday Luau. Like I told you all before, it was a huge success for Moo, a learning curve for us. But even with the learning curve, we had a great time getting it ready and coming up with games for the party and the cake. Alan is in charge of the cakes, everyone should know that right from the start. I always try to manipulate my way into the cake design, Alan and I always get bent out of shape because he won't listen to me and I end up having to give up the control of ONE thing. I don't take it well. You would think eight years into this we would, okay I would get the picture and let the poor man have this one itty bitty thing. NOPE. This year same thing. I just can't get over how much more I know than Alan....It is a shame I mean if he would just give me total control OVER ALL...I had to stop myself there, I felt an evil cackle coming on.

Now, this year was a huge turning point for us. I really did just let Alan go with the cake. He and Madie talked about the cake for a good two weeks and I left my opinion out of it. They asked questions, I told them what I would do, and they ignored me only to ask the same blessed questions again.

So the week of Moo's party came and Alan still had no idea what to make. He ended up making the famous strawberry cake he is famous for and he tried to make a coconut cake, but it never came cleanly out of the pan. So he switched to a pineapple cake for the second tier. Both were delicioso...He began the decorating process, covering teh bottom cake with blue to look like the ocean and the round coconut cake he iced and then covered with a brown sugar/graham cracker mixture that looked a lot like sand. That was as far as he could go. He was stumped this year. Of course throw in there the fact that he has been swamped at work and getting time to plan decorating the cake was impossible. Now I step in. Here is where we both learned the terrific life of being perfectly suited. He handed the cake over to me after we talked about what we could do. He really was at a loss and I had some vague idea of some sort. So he stepped back and started to clean the house while I was given free reign. Did I mention that I love this man of mine.

As you can see we already had the island in the water theme, but I went from there. The rocks around the cake are fondant and that little purple thing in front is an octopus. The bushes by the volcano are leaves from a pineapple and the leaves on the table, Banana leaves from the front yard. The "waves," the white around the rocks really did look like crashing waves up close. The best part? Not that Alan and I finally got our act together and worked as a team. No, the best part for me was seeing Madie's face. She loved this cake. She helped Alan bake it, helped me decorate it and she says it was exactly what she wanted...A success...

When each guest came into the house we greeted them with a lei. The girls got grass skirts and a flowered braclet, the boys got a grass bracelet. This is a picture of our friend Katie. She went home and told her mom and dad that it was the best party she had ever been to. GO TEAM C

This is a picture of our friends Gail and Lori. Gail's daughter Rachel is Madie's closest friend, sort of her Alana here in Cuba, and Lori's girls love Maegan and Me. Lori is our local photographer and you will be seeing her talent here soon. She took our family portaits, both wonderful women. Oh and the other part of this picture, the fruit. We had the guests make fruit kabobs. I saw some very interesting creations. One little girl came walking in with a kabob that had pineapple, star fruit, chesse, and pepperoni. Um Yumm I guess.

Maegers looking adorable. See that shirt in the back ground. Not Alan but close to what I made him wear. We all had Hawaiian shirts on. Alan shed his as soon as he could. Weeny..

Moo getting ready to open gifts. She had such a good time. We truly are blessed here, well we have been blessed everywhere we have lived. Thank you God for providing us with love...

Brownie Patch

I know I mentioned Madie getting an Emergancy Preparedness Patch, well now here are the pictures. The entire troop, from Daisy's on up participated in an emergancy preparedness patch. Apparently President Obama on Sept. 11 challenged all Girl/Boy Scouts to get involved in their communtiy by learning about being prepared for emergancies in memorium of our fallen. So, our Girl Scout troop got on the ball and had our ducks in a row by the end of that week. We are one of the first troops to get their patches, go Gtmo...

Each girl had to demonstrate her ability to be prepared. Whether that meant having a disaster kit, an escape plan or what have you. Then the girls presented their projects to the emergancy corrdinator here on base. He, along with our Command Master Cheif then held this special ceremony for the girls. Of course this is not a picture of Madie getting her patch, nope this is a picture of two proud parents loving their exceptional girl, she is just dealing with us...

Awww isn't she cute? She is the only Brownie that has her full uniform and knows how to wear it. Thank you Daisy's...

Madie shaking hands with Jan Chilson, the emergancy corrdinator on base. GO MADIE,

Oh what's that, you want to know what her project was? She made five contact cards- cards that we each have to carry in our backpacks or purses that tell us who to call in case of an emergancy and where to meet each other in case we get seperated during an emergancy. She helped us come up with good meeting places, and even an evacuation plan for how to leave the house in an emergancy...

Tree Lighting and All That

The following pictures are the best I could do. I told you I have a horrible camera, and well I am not that talented when it comes to picture taking. So please bear with me. I am still working on getting the Flip videos up loaded to the computer. We have given up on my computer and are about to try Alan's laptop. I am keeping my fingers crossed. At any rate...

This is the sign welcoming visitors to Holiday Hill. I know you can't see it well, but under Seasons Greetings is the island of Cuba complete with saying Guantanamo Bay. And in the back ground is our brand new lighted tree. It is huge and you can see it just about anywhere on base. We love it...

No spirit fingers but she is still so tickled about being a cheerleader.

Madie's squad. They are the GOLDEN SPIRITS....Whoo Hooo

Maegan lookin cute as a button

I swear this is the best picture I got of our boy singing. He was too too cute, but I mean we all think he is adorable, my little bowling ball head..In case you have forgotten what the little man looks like he is third from the right

And you thought that picture of the lights was bad. Madie is the tall one in back. Yep, that is the only picture of her.

I gave up trying to get pictures of him singing, but here is a great one of him up close, maybe too close

Birthday Gifts

And last but not least, a quick look at the kids enjoying the gifts. We haven't baked yet, so none of those with Moo, only this one in an outfit Gamma got her along with a pompom pen.

And this is a picture of all three kids playing the Vtech games Dad has bought Maegan. He bought her this Vtech last year I think. She played it twice. He got her another game for her birthday, the kids play it all the time. Go figure

And that my friends are the pictures for now. As soon as Mom's box gets here we will pull out the camera and get pics of that. Did we remember to take pics of her opening our gifts? Nope....did we take pics of our Thanksgiving? Nope. Ah well there is always next year. I send you all my love

Thanksgiving, Tree Lighting and Advent

2009-11-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

Alas the pictures. When in the world am I going to post pictures??? Tuesday at the latest. I just downloaded them from the camera and will get them organized and downloaded by Tuesday I promise....

On to the real topic tonight...

THANKSGIVING

So it is Thanksgiving day. It also happens to be our oldest daughter's birthday. Who could imagine that our little wall flower Madie would turn into the confident out going girl she has become.

And can she only be 8? And at the same time, 8 all ready??

How in the world does this happen? How can you struggle day to day with just life in general and miss that your kids are growing at alarming rates? Mystifing...

So we had Madie's birthday breakfast first and foremost when we awakened on Thursday. She got to open all her gifts, minus Nana's which hasn't made it as of yet. But seriously she had a ton of gifts to open.

She got a great haul. Alan and I went with the Baker theme..A Girl Gourmet cake decorating kit, cook books and a mom and me matching apron set that I whipped together Wed night.

We ate German Pancakes and sausage and had a good old time talking about the day Moo was born. We do this every year for each child. Tell them all about their birth and how we were beside our selves with joy at their coming.

Then it was clean up time.

The kids ran and cleaned their rooms and mom cooked. However, I was still reeling from my disasterous fall on Wed night. So my right knee had to take breaks every now and then for some ice and elevation. But in between the whinning about my knee I managed to cook a huge feast.

We had a 25lbs turkey, homemade stuffing ( complete with spinach mom), green bean casserole, broccoli rice caserole, yeast rolls, cranberry salad, mashed potatoes and roasted sweet taters. Oh and for Adam chicken nuggets and french fries. I was a cooking all day long, but I did get a nap in of course, and it was so much fun cooking for people I had no clue what they would like. Our guests arrived promptly at 6pm bearing gifts. One of Alan's collegues hunts for bottles. Apparently there are a ton on old glass bottles here on base and they are all Cuban made, a huge market is out there for Cuban collectibles. Not something I knew about. I have just wanted a bottle that has Cuba stamped on the bottom just because we live here. Not for any other reason. Anyway, Alan's collegue, Tony, collects them. He is the preemmenitt bottle collector here and he brought me a beautiful Cuban Coke bottle. He also came bearing a gift from another of our friends who was suffering pregnancy sickness. She painted her bottle with a cute scene of a Cuban couple dancing. Just wonderful gifts. But I digress..

So our guests came, we talked, we learned tons about each other and we celebrated Thanksgiving the best we could without our families. Four of our guests have spouses living back in the states so having a family even for one night was great. Then we played Apples to Apples and I discovered a handfull of people who are closet game lovers. So come the new year we will be having game night once a month at our house, as we are the only ones with a house. That and the kids can sleep while we play it up.

YIPPEE.

That was Thanksgiving..

FRIDAY, SATURDAY &

THE TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

So Firday comes bright and early and we have decided to decorate for Christmas. Side story here, when we asked our sponsors about the holidays here they down played it saying that it isn't done very big here. So Alan and I decided with the kids to leave our ornaments in storage to bring just a few things. Yea..we screwed up. We brought almost nothing. We sent almost all of our Christmas decorations on to storage. What were we thinking? I have not a clue. All I can say is that we did manage to bring both our trees, the large family one and the small one the kids decorate and the lights for the large family tree. We also managed to bring one tote full of decorations. Esentially a Christmas bowl and an angel. That is it. So...come Friday all ready seeing that we didn't bring much we started to decorate. Madie and I made a run to the NEX for some lights for the kids tree and some stockings. Yep we left those too.

Can I just say, I was a Scrooge. I was cranky that we had nothing to decorate with, I was cranky because my knee hurt and dang it all I was missing my family. Can I just say, I am tired of having the holidays thousands of miles away from my family.

Anyway, that was Friday. Madie had a long cheer practice again Friday night and the rest of us just chilled. Then came Saturday. Madie had practice once again at in the afternoon for the tree lighting ceremony. And I did the grocery shopping. Then back home to shove some food in her face and get her all dressed up in her cheer uniform complete with a high pony tail. Had to get Adam to change his clothes three times because he really didn't want to have to wear his dark pants to the ceremony, and off we went.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony was slated to begin at 6pm, but we had to be there at 5pm for cheer pictures. What time did the coaches show to take said pictures, 5:30. In the mean time I am getting Madie and Maegan food from Subway and telling Adam he can eat at McDonald's once everything was over. Little did I know that it wouldn't be over until 7:30pm and by then he would be ready to eat me. .

So we are sitting in the NEX parking lot in front of the stage that both our children will be preforming on, did I mention the elementary school had a concert to give as well? And what should happen? It begins to sprinkle. Then it begins to rain a bit and before we know it, it is pouring. So...we moved the whole ceremony into the atrium. Not a huge space and we had to leave enough room for people to come in and out of the store. Imagine if you will, sitting in front of a grocery store in the parking lot, the "stage" on one side of the doors, and your seating area across the lot on the other side of the doors. And to top it off, people coming in and out with their groceries. Comical to say the least.

It could have been worse, we could have been some of the poor smucks who had to stand in the back. Us, well of course I have learned from the greatest seat saver in the world. I got us front and center. Adam, Maegan and I grabbed four folding chairs from out in the rain and brought them into the atrium. We listened to what the dude said about where to sit and plopped our butts down. People tried sitting in front of us, they got moved. It was terrific. I tell you. It felt like I was at Pioneer Runion....Thanks mom!!

So the kids started. Adam's class was third in line and unfortuntely I missed the whole darn thing trying to get a good picture to post. So, needless to say when Madie came on with her class next to sing, I put down our pathetic camera and listened. It was horrible. We couldn't hear the kids at all. All we heard was the music. And all we saw was the music teacher's derrier. He stood in front of the kids almost the entire time. It was so silly. But we clapped through all the preformances and I am sure he will hear all about his nether region being in front of all of it, and how not a single parent could hear their kids because the music was so loud. Me, I'll just wait for next year and hope for the best.

Then came Madie's cheer squad. Can I just say...

I may be at the end of my rope with all the practices and all the cheering going on in my house, but these girls were rocking. They were the best part of the evening. Everyone yelled and cheered and it was absolutely wonderful. The highlight. Then came a mom and her six year old daughter. They did a baton rutine. It was so freakin' sweet. She had a flaming baton that just wouldn't light and her daughter tried so hard. They wore matching outfits and everything. It was so heart warming.

The night helped thaw my heart a bit.

The big tree lighting itself was cancelled due to the amount of rain. We have the trees in the atrium of the NEX, there is one large on and about a dozen smaller ones that different groups decorated. So we lit those and then the big BIG tree up on Holiday Hill was lit but not in a huge ceremony. Just a flip the switch kinda thing. But it was still a success.

After all that fun, we headed to McDonald's got the boy and dad some dinner and went to the theater. They showed "Planet 51" last night. The kids loved it and I, well by that time my knee was throbbing so bad, and it had sprinkled thoughout the entire movie and I was cold and basically I was just ready to get home.

So today, Sunday, the first day of Advent, I have spent the day with my leg propped up and taking the ever lacking in strength Tylenol. I can't take Ibprofen ever again since the surgery so my hardest hitting pain killer is Tylenol. It usually works but we are talking serious amounts of pain. My knee is hurting now when even touched slightly. I know, I know..time to see a doctor, which is on the list for tomorrow.

But for tonight I have printed off some Advent prayers and off to say them before the kids fall asleep. I wish you all good sleep and I promise pictures by Tuesday. I send you all my love

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to tell wish you all a

Happy Thanksgiving

May your turkey be plump and juicy,

May your stuffing be moist,

May your Green Bean Casserole have yummy onion crunchies

And may your Pumpkin Pie be pumpkiny perfection.

We love you all and you will be in our thoughts and prayers today...

I send you all my love

No pictures yet

2009-11-24T08:55:00.000-05:00

Well I was all set to download pics and send them out into the world-

alas, Alan has the camera.

Today Adam had a skit to do at school and we took pictures of him. So, the camera is with the man.

Oh well, tomorrow. See it just makes sure you keep coming back...

Okay so I told you all we are busier than a bee colony right now. Well yesterday I was a afflicted with a killer headache, I have been getting them quite a lot lately, and was kinda out of it. So I stayed home from work and slept and tried to make the pounding stop. Of course by about four it was gone and I was doing fine. So I made dinner, played with kids, helped them do their homework. Good times I must say. Then it happened...

My friends I am telling you, I have been a klutz lately. Dropping things, tripping, falling down. I really think it is the dizziness brought on by the sinuses, brought on by the flora and fauna here. So last night I am walking out the door with Madie on our way to cheer practice and the NEX, when I fell. Somehow I tripped or missed the teeny tiny step we have on our walkway. However it happened. I landed hard on my knees. Almost identical to the time I tripped when I was pregnant with Maegan and I was talking to Chy on the cell phone. Not as embarassing as it was dark out and only Madie was there. But the same position and everything. Whack, down on both knees like God wanted me to kneel and pray right then. I rolled onto my butt and wailed. It hurt so flippin' bad. Took my breath away and made me send for Alan. But I got up and headed onto cheer practice and the NEX. Mind you I haven't looked at the knees, I am afraid to see them actually.

So I go about my business, do my last minute shopping and then head home. By this point I am starting to stiffen up and I know it is bad as I am starting to shake a bit. So we get home and Madie asks to see my knees. I am not ready to. Alan gets the kids in bed and I get two ice packs for the knees and settle onto the couch for Dancing with the Stars, Donnie Osmond should win by the way. And then I finally pulled up the pant legs and looked. HOLY COW!!!! There is a goose egg on my right knee so big I am a bit worried, and the purple bruising is all over. The left knee has a nice set of scratches to go over the newly healed scratches from my last fall. But no bruising and not a lot of swelling. But my right knee, scared me a bit. So I applied the ice and laid still for the two hour long show. By the time I was ready to get up and head up the stairs I was limping. It hurt to bend, it hurt to straighten. It just hurt. The worst part. No Mortin. Nope I can only take Tylenol.

I made it through a ruff night of tossing and turning gently, and today I talked to my girlfriend who is a physical therapist. She suggested I ice it some more and elevate it. Other than that...not much I can do. If it still is killing me tomorrow I will head into the doctors . In the mean time I plan on icing and resting it.

The thing that amazes me is this. Before, when I was good and fat, this kind of fall would have hurt, but not to the point it is now. Believe me I know. I have had my falls. This time, I swear it is worse because my knees aren't padded by the fat. I have these knobby knees now and the fall smacked the poop out of them. So this my friends has been the only disadvantage to the weight loss, knobby knees that get hurt when I fall...

I did want to update you all on my weight loss status since I mentioned it. I am now weighing in at 220 lbs. That is right my friends I have lost a whopping 124lbs in seven months. I have lost a total of 16 lbs since my last docotors visit and he said he would be amazed if I lost 20lbs by my next visit. That isn't until the end of Jan. So I figure I am still headed in the right direction. I still have 80 lbs to go to get to MY goal weight of 140lbs. The doctor did say that by the time I hit the 18 month mark I would be struggling to lose. My stomach will have streched enough by that time to accomodate bad habits again. And I must say I can see it coming. I have started measuring my servings just to be on the safe side. I went through the pain and torture of the surgery, I will not let serving sizes stretch out this new stomach of mine...So I am hoping that by May and Jesse's graduation I will be down to 160 lbs. That is my goal for right now...We shall see...

Okay now I am off, I have my super catholic girls club meeting tonight. This time Madie and I are the hostesses, as the saint for this month is St.Monica. She is the partoness of mothers, wives and abused women. Her virtue is hope. So we are making hand made beads to make into necklaces. We are going to hope all our hard work pays off and none of the beads break...Anyway, off to make the clay. I send you all my love...

Sunday

2009-11-23T01:37:00.000-05:00

Whew!! Saturday is over, one less thing to accomplish. Madie's party was a big success. However, we older Chronisters learned a few lessons this go round.
     #1 Big birthday parties, even with other kids parents, STINK!!
     #2 Big birthday parties without our families are hard, tiring and they STINK!!
     #3 Big birthday parties with boys and girls just mean extra work, in other words they STINK!!
     #4 Birthday parties in Gtmo are not the same as in the US. What is standard etiquette in the US is not standard here in Gtmo.
     #5 Did I mention big parties with out our families STINK?

Okay so let me paint the picture. Madie has been asking for a Luau party since last Dec. She knew what she wanted and I promised to get it for her. I did not plan for the Luau party before we moved. Thank goodness the good Lord has my back, my shop had a huge crate full of luau stuff. Leis, grass skirts and the like. So that was covered. Now all we needed was the guest list and we would be golden. Well being new here, I figured Moo would have a few people to invite. Nope. She invited 11 kids. All but two showed up, and you know our rule, everyone in the family is invited. No dropping off unless you really want to. So what this boils down to is that we had something like 50 people in our house. Thank goodness we live where we do, because we took advantage of our tropical weather. Alan and I planned a few relay races for the kids as well as limbo. All of which was exhausted within the first hour. Now what. So the kids and Alan sat on the hill in our back yard and gazed at the stars. Well that was the plan. What ensued was chaos. Poor Alan was beside himself. We live off of the "other" busy street here on base, our back yard butts up against the road. Mind you there is a large culvert in between, but still a major road. Now, cars are only doing 25 mph here but still all we needed was for a kid to get hit by a car at one of our birthday parties....And did I mention the boys? I swear, boys are crazy and they make girls crazy. We literally had two hours of nothing but screaming girls and cackling boys. It was a bit much for me and Alan to handle I must say. But I digress. We started with food, we had the kids make fruit kabobs complete with star fruit, which I am happy to report my kids love. I have always wanted to try it and figured a birthday party was a good excuse to buy them. All three kids love it. Then we had chips, salsa, guac and some kick butt pico de gallo made by me of course. I was very happy with our treats. And of course cake. So the kids came in and each got a lei as well as a flowered bracelet for the girls and a grass bracelet for the boys, then off to make kabobs. Then we played the games, after which Alan tried to wrangle screaming kids. Then we looked at the time, realized we still had an hour and half with the monsters that the kids were becoming and fear set in. Some how we managed to keep the kids occupied sort of until cake. Then it was another free for all. At one point I looked over and realized I had kids climbing on my couch! It was too much, I had to get all MOMMY on them, complete with yelling at everyone to take two steps back. Anyway, I filled their bellies with cake and ice cream and then sent them outside once more. After cake we opened presents and then sent the kids home. Madie did tell me she had a ball, which makes it all worth while, BUT....no more big parties like that.

    See we have been noticing some things about children here in Gtmo. We meaning Alan and myself, I haven't shared this with my Gtmo gals...but we have noticed that there are quite a few kiddos out there who are off their rockers. It is so easy to get complacent here. The kids have free reign over their parks, and yards. They get out of control so quick. I mean I am guilty of this as well. Adam and Madie come home from school and then out the door they go, only to return for dinner. What they do outside all day? Heck if I know...And that although liberating for all of us, I think is the undoing. We adults are so lazze faire about the kids that we tend to forget that they do need to have manners. At one point I walked into Madie's room last night to find two girls on her bed with a sword swinging at her light while three others were digging through her stuff. Madie was outside....I got all kinds of ticked at the kids and did the whole respect our stuff, or you won't be allowed back here speach. Complete with making them all repeat what I said and telling them that I expected apologies from them. Yes, things here are different. Course it could be this way in the rest of the world, I am just more exposed here because we are so much more involved here. I mean we have never invited more than three friends over for a party and my desire to get the kids interacting with the kids here has become too much. Can it be that we are too out there?? Too eager to make new friends?
    I really think I just figured it out. In my desire to make the kids feel connected and part of something I have over, shoot what's the word? exposed?? I don't know..I guess what I am trying to say is that my built in filter, the one I am supposed to use to edit what I say to the kids and strangers and what I get us involved in, it must be stuck in the off position. I think that in my eagerness to feel part of this community I have tuned out the filtering of both myself and what is being presented to me....Hum something to think about surely...

At any rate, Moo had a good time, we learned never to have a big party again and we all went to bed last night with smiles on our faces. I will post pictures of her cake and some of her tomorrow, I hope. Here it is 1:30am and I have to be at work as well as two other commitments tomorrow. So I must get off the computer. I send you all my love...

What day is it??

2009-11-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

Okay so as far as staying on top of my blog, I get the "most pathetic" award. I have been so busy lately, I haven't had to time to do much. The computer connection is so super slow and what in the world happend to spell check on this blog? I can't find it anywhere, and I spell atrociously. Case in point. Anyway...

So these last few weeks, months, heck I don't even know what day it is. But I have been running around like crazy. Last night was the first time we as a family actually got to eat dinner together, and that is only because I didn't go to the church decorating committiee meeting...Bad christian that I am.

To fill you in. All of you know about my trash and trivia shop, well I had just gotten it looking clean and neat and organized, when the HOLIDAYS hit. I emphaze holidays because once again I underestemated Gtmo. Again with the huge holidays. When we leave here the kids will be so disappointed by the real world. Okay so, today I am in the middle of our "Black Friday". Yep having a black friday sale a week early. Why? I have no desire to work the day after Thanksgiving. I plan on decorating for Christmas here. Anyway I am busy as hades...So, this is a very short blog to just say I haven't forgotten to inform you all of what is going on, just been too busy to do it. I have so much to tell you all too. But, Madie's birthday party is tomorrow and then I will get a chance to actually blog. I'll even have some pics of our girl. Until then I send you all my love

House Pictures

2009-11-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

So here are some pictures of our house, only the front mind you, as Alan refuses to let me take pictures of the back yard until he gets the back yard set up. Like I said Madie's Luau is coming soon so everything will be done by then. At any rate, here are some house pics....

This is the front of our house. We of course have the ghost in front. I took these on Halloween. We do not water as you can tell. Our new neighbors do however, so we will forever look like the family that doesn't care. But really, we live in the desert and what is the point?

A little closer veiw of our side. We have rocks for our garden, again a nicety, no flowers to water. We are planning on putting some chairs out soon so that we can be social with the neighborhood. Everyone has chairs in their front yards.

Thi is the veiw looking out our front door. We are the only house in the cul de sac and the park is directly across the street. See that hill in the background? That is the hill my son and now daughters climb looking for

Big Foot. There are also drainage ditches back there that the kids play in.

What lives in those hills you ask? Only the Cuban Boa Constrictor and the Banana Rat.

Worried at all???

A little closer veiw of the park. Maegan always leaves her shoes over here, I mean ALWAYS!!

Every day I have to ask her where her shoes are, and everyday she

runs out of the house to the park.

Bikes? Dolls? Legos? Balls?

Apparently the park stores them for free. Yep no charge to leave your

stuff at the park. It will be so hard coming back to the states I tell you...

Now of course this isn't our house, but it is God's house, and I think it is so

Caribbean and cute. I love it. I will be decorating it here very shortly for Christmas.

At any rate, I thought you would all like to see our place of worship.

Usually there is a big ole iguana sitting in front gaurding the doors, or prwoling the parking lot.

Okay that is all for now. I will have more pics soon and more stories.. I send you all my love

Holy Cow!!

2009-11-08T19:10:00.000-05:00

I have heard from one and all that I have not just slacked, but I have in fact left all of you hanging. I am so flattered that my life's musing have entertained you all so much. I am hoping to get back on the writing horse here and get you all caught up in the goings on here. Have I mentioned that for such a small locale and population, it is incredibly busy here?

Okay, first things first. Kids update. Madie: Our oldest in now a cheerleader. That is right my friends we have a cheerleader among us. Does she cheer at any sport in particular. Heck NO where do you think we are, the US. Nope here, our cheerleaders are a comodity. They are by invitaion only cheerleaders. What is that you may ask. quite simply it means that she will cheer only at the tree lighting ceremony at the NEX Atrium and at a parade. Pretty pathetic if you were to ask me last week. This week however, is a different story. Apparently the cheer coaches of years past, well let's just say they seriously lacked knowledge, drive or a desire to really teach the girls anything. But seriously what can you do. You have to take what you can get here on base. Not like the Army is asking soldiers that have experiance in cheer to come on down to Gtmo to teach the girls cheer. But this year we have among our ranks eight professional cheerleaders. That's right my firends. PROFESSIONAL CHEERLEADERS!! Six of the eight are actually active duty so that terrified some of the parents. See, we have huge turnover here. If you work for the JTF (that means the prisons) then usually you come here unaccompamied and for only six months at a time. BUT, and this is the big BUT, if you come here with your family, you are here for at least two years. All but two of our cheer coaches are here for two years. YIPPEE. I know seems crazy, but this is big news. The coaches are treating the cheer squad like it is an actual cheer squad. That means the matching warm up and work out outifits, matching cheer suits and bloomers, practices twice a week at least. This was supposed to be a six week camp, but since we have eight ladies that want to send our girls back to the states with real knowledge of cheer and how it works in the real world, it has been extended. So, if Miss Madie continues to love it as much as she is right now, I may be in big trouble back in the US. Cheer is expensive back home. Apparently our $70 investment in the states would equal about $1500. So, while I am glad Madie has found something she loves, I hope we have enought cash when we get back to the US to support it....Picutres of her will come soon...

Adam: Oh my Adam. I just love this little dude so much. He is just as skinny as ever, but he is getting soo tall. He looks the same as he did in his two year pictures, I know this becuase we just looked at them, only he is taller and his smile is a but brighter. Not much to report on him. He is part of CHaracter Counts at school. Apparetnly DoD schools have the six pillars of good character. Adam has learned about Honesty, Trustworthiness. He is in a play that his club will preform in front of the school this week I belive. He is loving CCD (Sunday School). They too are learning about being good soliders of Christ and the benefit of being honest and trustworthy. He is our concience here in this house. He is forever asking ALL of us, if we think God would like our actions. I think he may end up a priest after all. But, I have to say, his attitude is amazing with his friends. He is the first to check and make sure someone is okay if they get hurt and he makes sure everyone gets to play. No leaving anyone out on his watch. He stands up for the underdog almost all the time. Again I am amazed by his heart and love.

And then there is Maegan: My dear baby. She and I are butting heads right now. She is experimenting with lies, sneakiness and the constant need to eat. Growing much?? We have gone round and round with the lying issue. I am so tired of trying to teach this child not to lie. For some reason, she just doesn't care...I will get to the bottom of it, just don't know when. She is bored to tears at the shop now. I am trying to come up with things for her to do, but the reality is, she is getting to the point where being by herself is making her nuts, and selfish. I can't wait for her to start school, nor can she. I would love to do it now, but the money, just stupid. So instead we work on her letters and numbers at the shop and she plays with the kids after school. She is my struggle right now, course by next week it will be one of the others.

As for Alan, well he works. Right now he is busy decorating our house. He has been going great guns for the last two days and it is really starting to look good here. Those pictures will be posted as soon as he gets things mostly finished. We have a deadline of Nov 21. Madie is having a luau party for her birthday, complete with about thirty guests. So, we are husteling to get the house decorated. Or at least close to decorated. We are also inviting Alan's pharmacy and some of his collueges to Thanksgiving dinner here. There are about ten people that work around him that are here unaccompanied. So we are opening our home to them.

As for me....where to begin. Work has actually been very good lately. I am making tons of friends out of the TCNs (third country nationals). They are made up of mostly Filipinos, Jamacians and some Cubans. The lady who worked before me made it sound like this group of people where the bane of her exsistance. But I am telling you, they are wonderful. Kind, genrous and good sources of information. I have my regulars who come in and visit everyday and then some who only come in once a week. I just love them all.
After work comes everything else. I swear, I haven't been this active in real life outside of my family since college. This week I stopped by the open parish council meeting, got roped in. I now am helping with the decorating of the church for the holidays and helping get the kids ready for the Christmas Pagent. I am organizing the bowling night for the schools, that will be done by next week and well, lets just say I am one busy lady. Which reminds me, if any of you out there have any ideas on a good dip, my cooking club is having a Dip It night on the 23rd. I want to make something different. I imagine crab, artichoke and guacamole will all be present. I want something different and unique. Course I need to be able to find all the ingriedants here on the island.

Okay, so the next time I blog I will tell you all about my frustrations and joys of living on an island....Until then, I send you all my love

OOOHHH POOP!! I am just looking at this and I know that I have about twenty thousand spelling mistakes and I can't find spell check, yikes. SO no making fun of the dyslexic spelling chanllenged, got it!!

Maegie's Room

2009-11-08T18:34:00.001-05:00

Maegan's canopy is so pretty, the picture

just doesn't do it justice.

Adam's Room

2009-11-08T18:21:00.001-05:00

And here is Adam's Room

Madie's room

2009-11-08T18:09:00.001-05:00

Hello All!!

So sorry I have slacked so much,

So without further ado

Madie's Room

Climbing Mountains

2009-10-30T20:08:00.002-05:00

I typed the title of this particular blog and all I can think of now is "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks. "I climbed a mountain and turned around..." Anyway....
Okay so I am sure most of you have looked at a mountain or a large hill and thought, " I could climb that, it isn't too bad." We are talking both metaphorical and literal mountains, hills and/or mole hills here. So, I am assuming that most of you out there have looked at said mountain, hill/mole hill and thought, no sweat. Easily done. I too have been that idiot thinking I CAN DO IT!!
I have looked at the mountain from a distance and been all cocky and sure of myself, only to stand at the base and think, HOLY COW! What have I committed myself to?

Yesterday I attempted to climb. I chose to not stand at the bottom any longer. I chose to pull my boot straps up and go for it. I am of course talking about a mountain of such proportions that sitting here in my chair at home, the mountain looks more like a small hillock if you will. I am telling you it is a mountain!!
Yes my friends I demanded myself to get up the MOUNTAIN....

Did I succeed is the question...Sorta! This is the story my friends:
First and foremost I must admit that this is a story of angst and woe. No really this is just my pathetic little story of how I attempted to make it up the highest peak here in Gtmo. Yes, I tried with all my will, might and strength to climb to the top of a real mountain. And like I said, it looks more like a small hill from here in my house. Standing at the base it is entirely different. Sitting here today with aching hips, and calf muscles that refuse to stop the pulsing, I am telling you it is a MOUNTAIN.

I digress, on with the story. So there is a group of terrific ladies here that really work at lifting each other up. Their goal, at least from what I can see, is to make sure everyone is included. These are some of the same ladies I had chick night at the movies with. At any rate, they are a good group of women that, well put out the invites and then wait for people to get out of their houses and join them. Okay, so they have been telling me that three times a week they make the trek up this mountain, and they have been encouraging me to come along. I have been avoiding this, coming up with excuses and what not. Why avoid the climb? I have no good reason, other than I like to be lazy. Plain and simple. I don't like to work because I want to be able to sit on my couch at home and read a book. I like to lay around. Course, laying around for the last ten years have helped make me the very obese woman I am. So, now I have lost a good 115lbs and the truth of the matter is, I need to get my butt in motion, or the surgery will be for not.

So, yesterday I dropped the husband and two older kids off at school. I met the ladies at my shop and off we went. Oh I remember now, one of my reasons for not joining this group before is because I didn't think I could do the climb, therefore why even try. I didn't want to slow anyone down and I sure as spit didn't want to look like a big fat loser in front of these very fit women. Anyway, I had Maegan in a stroller and off we went. A really great friend walked with me and encouraged me the entire way. Not by telling me I could do it, but by keeping me distracted the entire time. Alas, I did not make it to the top. No, but I got darn close and will be trying again on Tuesday. I have convinced the family to try part of the climb with me and they are very excited about going. I am hoping to try tomorrow, but we shall see.
So today, I am sore all over. The surgery while great, has robbed me of a lot of muscle. I don't have nearly as much as I used to. I am hoping to remedy that soon as well, by lifting at the gym twice a week. At any rate, I am pumped up, although sore as can be.

I want to leave you with this. When you stand at the bottom of your mountain, hillock or mole hill, keep telling yourself you can do it, and when your mind and body give out, go for 20 more seconds. It makes all the difference. I send you all my love

The Baby's Birthday

2009-10-27T06:51:00.004-05:00

Can you believe it? Our Maega-Fat is four? I can't hardly stand it. She still reverts back to baby talk and actions, which of course send me into fits of wishing she would just get older, so it is a never ending cycle. But darn it, I want them to just slow down the growing process. Maegan if four, Adam six and Madie almost eight. In the words of Joey Tribiani from Friends

"WHY GOD, WHY?"

Other than dealing with the fact that I don't want the kids to grow AT ALL, things are great. Maegan got her Gamma and Gampa's package so she got a chance to open their gifts, and then Gramps' came yesterday. She is in hog heaven I tell you...

So without further ado here are pictures of the runt of the litter:

Gamma and Gampa found Maegan a cute little bag with Hello Kitty on it. She was thrilled. Did I mention we did the Hello Kitty theme this year? For some god awful reason Maegan loves the Hello Kitty cat. Me, well we all know I am not a big fan of cats, much less one with a huge head, and no mouth. But whatever makes this kids smile like that is worth it. SO like I said we went with the Hello Kitty theme this year....Nice bag, she hasn't stopped dragging it around yet. A sure sign she loves it..

Barbie!! I think Cindy must have super sonic hearing or can tell the future because my child never mentioned wanting a Barbie. Like I said, all she has talked about is that freakin' kitty junk. But two days before her birthday Maegan announces that she wants a Barbie. Little did I know Gamma had sent her one, whew!

So we were getting her stuff all situated in the living room, her cake and gifts, and while we did that we sent her up to her room so she wouldn't see the cake yet. It was a surprise! Anyway, while she was up in her room she found her crown and put it on. She came downstairs with it on her head and as she walks into the living room she explains that it is her birthday and birthday girls are princesses and so she wanted to wear her crown. Look at that beautiful girl. Her smile lights up the room I tell you

The cake...

A better picture of the cake. Alan ran with the Kitty theme. He copied the image off of Maegan's lunch box. Is that cat missing arms? Yep. Alan ran out of fondant. So the kitty is sitting sideways with no arms. Madie made a big deal of it, but of course Maegan didn't even notice.

We got her a bike and those pictures will be in the next batch later today or tomorrow. I will also go and get pictures of the kids rooms tomorrow and post those.

Plans for today. Well this head of mine is pounding again, I missed work yesterday because of it, and so I am going to relax as much as possible this morning, take some Benedryl and then nap. Then the craziness starts. Madie has her physical for Cheer right after school, then starting at 7pm we each have our own meetings we have to be at. Madie and I have the Super Catholic Girls Club or SCGC to go to and Adam and Dad have cub scouts. We have been asking for weeks now about Cub scouts and no one has heard a thing. Then low and behold we got an email saying that the person who used to do it is leaving the island and if anyone is interested in doing cub scouts please come to the school tonight. She said that the entire troop is gone, so we will be starting from scratch. Not really something Alan wanted to do since his schedule is stretched pretty thin already, but we can't really stand by and watch the GTMO troop dissolve. So he is meeting with the other parents tonight. Well we are hoping there are other parents interested, or even other boys interested in being part of cub scouts. If not, the troop dissolves and Adam will become one of only 200 lone cub scouts in the world.

Okay I am off. More pictures soon. I send you all my love

Chick Flick Night

2009-10-24T21:24:00.002-05:00

Tonight I finally saw Julie and Julia, the story of Julia Child and a blogger named Julie Powell. It is a story of self discovery, that spoke volumes to me. I too am a lost soul looking for my way in this world. Who am I? What do I want to accomplish with this life of mine? Is being a mother and wife enough for me? Is clerk at a glorified garage sale it??? Like I said volumes spoken...Something for me to think about, as if I haven't been thinking of these things before.

Anyway, like I said I went to the movies tonight. I was invited to join a friend named Chris. She is actually Alan's boss's wife, and she is great. But let me not get sidetracked here. She invited me to come with her to the movies. We made a stop at Wendy's house, a commander here on base-also new- and had a glass of wine. Low and behold we got there and there were like 15 ladies all sitting around drinking wine, eating chocolate covered strawberries and having a good time. Now mind you, I haven't done anything like this lately, well really since college. There were women there I knew, some I didn't and a few that I have been on the fence about. Do they like me or not? Am I still an outsider? All the teen angst of course. However, the more I do with these women the better I get to know them and vice versa and long story short, I am starting to feel pretty comfortable around them.

So we all piled into cars and went to the chick flick and laughed our tails off, of course when everyone has had a glass or two of wine laughter ensues. It was a hoot to say the least.

Now for earlier in the day. Today was finish the house day. We have unpacked all our stuff and it has been sitting in piles just waiting for us to get it put away. Who am I kidding, it has really been sitting there waiting for Alan to do, you all know I don't do this sort of thing. But today we buckled down and got at least two rooms set up and cleaned. Alleluia! And then nap time, my favorite time of day. Afterwards it was race to get costumes on for Fall Festival at the school. I ran around for a good twenty minutes looking for a leotard of mine so that I could dress up as the fairy godmother from Cinderella, a costume I made two years ago for our Disney trip. Couldn't find the darn thing anywhere. So I gave up and thought I would try Alan's pirate costume. What the heck right. I mean I have lost 115lbs now so surely....Yep, I fit into a one size fits all costume. I was ecstatic. In fact the costume swallowed me up. The shirt was huge, hung almost to my knees and the sash wrapped around me twice. AMAZING!!!

We went to the festival and had a great time. Madie did the cake walk like ten times and never won. Adam, who can't eat any cake there does it twice and wins. Then there was the costume contest, Madie had the Hannah Montana persona down and was sure she was going to win. Nope, the disgusting zombies and a boy dressed in a hula girls costume won. She was crushed. She was so upset when we left there. She did however make a basket at the dunk tank and she dunked the school nurse. So it was a bust for her. The other two seemed to enjoy themselves. Maegan was a ballerina and Adam was, can you guess? An Army Man, complete with green face paint.

I was complaining to Alan the other day that I miss my girlfriends back home. I miss the closeness and the bond I shared with these women that are or have gone through a lot of the same things I have. You know that sisterhood. I told him that so far I have a lot of people I know but no one I am FRIENDS with in that sisterly sense. When we got in the car to come home today, he looked at me and asked me what I was talking about. He said there wasn't a person at the festival I didn't know or talk to, and that I hugged like thirty people. Hum, maybe I do have a lot of connections here and I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to just enjoy the people I have met. I did go to our cooking club potluck the other day and made some stronger connections and really had a great time. So, and here is the real kicker, maybe I just need to pull my head out of the sand and realize that all things come in good time. I didn't become sisters with Peyton, Mandy or Cathryn over night and it won't work that way here. Life changing moments I tell you people.

So on that note, I am off. Tomorrow we have rosary before mass, which the Chronister Family will be leading and then Sunday school. Madie gets to go to her bestfriend's house for the first time and Adam is going to his first birthday party on the island. Maegan gets to nap and while she does that we will decorate for her birthday. Can you imagine she is almost four. This time thing really does fly. We are celebrating her birthday tomorrow so that she has her mom and dad all day, not just for parts of it. We got her, nah I will write about that tomorrow. I send you all my love

potty Mouth

2009-10-22T19:22:00.002-05:00

So I have a girlfriend who said she would love to read my blog to her children, but getting past my potty language is a challenge. So, with that in mind I will try and curb the bad words. Now on to the happenings.

Adam had his final soccer game today. Can I just say, AMEN LORD!!! I have had six weeks of soccer practice and games every other day. It was murder. We haven't had a chance to do ANY THING else because we always had soccer. But tonight finished us. Yes sirree we are done. And to commemorate this grand event I made green cupcakes, complete with green frosting. Did I mention they were the Green Gtmo Gators. My favorite part, we get to keep the uniforms, so we have a jersey with Adam's number 35 that says GTMO on it. Yippee that will be a great memento for us.

I also discovered today that even if I take the job with Navy Federal, I would make pretty darn near the same amount as I would with Treasures and Trivia. Yep, Maegan's day care would take half of my pay check every month. So..I am stuck at the trash hut forever. That said, now that I know where I am I can make it my own. I do love the natives that come in and see me every day and they seem pretty fond of me. Onward and Upward.

We had dinner with one of Alan's classmates from ODS today. She is a nurse that has been stationed here for the last year and a half. She was here without her kid and husband and so we got to see the bad side of life in Gtmo from her. She is so excited to be headed home..I really can't imagine leaving my kids for 18 months at a time. Makes me thankful for what we have I tell you and thankful to everyone who sacrifices so much for our freedom and rights.

I got Madie signed up for Cheer. Yes boys and girls, we are going to cheer our butts off. I am praying with all my might that cheer doesn't take up as much time as soccer, but here well there is NO TELLING..

Okay I am off. I promise pictures are coming soon, now that soccer is over. Whatever... I send you all my love

Holy Poop!

2009-10-20T12:47:00.002-05:00

Okay so I am sucking this week at blogging. I could try and explain away my lack of writing to business, but whatever. So I am back and here are somethings that have been going on here:

First and foremost. I know I have explained how here on base the speed limit is 25mph. I am a person who follows the rules, really dad. If the limit is 65mph I don't usually go over it. So needless to say here, I am the one who everyone is following behind. I GO 25, and only when the freakin' Gtmo Special is coasting faster does it go over. Well, let me tell you, I got pulled over on Friday. Yep, I got pulled over, and the worst part was I had no clue why. I was going the limit, a little under in fact. I had just stopped at a stop sign, and I had my seat belt on. So what the hell. Well this 10 year old, well he may have been 13 seeing as that he had zits all over his face, anyway he pulled me over, took forever getting his shit together and then approached my car. I of course have Maegan in the front seat with me, here there are no car seat laws, and the only thing I can think of for pulling me over was because of her. He says so politely, "Mam," MAM when in the world did I become a MAM? I am only 33, not Mam in anyone's book, of course like I said you are a 13 year old boy hitting puberty. Long story short I was pulled over because apparently I pulled a Henrietta stop, the old roll through. I really thought I stopped, but whatever. I got a point added to my base record, I can get somewhere between 3-12 points before my license gets suspended. No one is real sure of how many points it takes to reach that status. So I went on to work. Then yesterday on my way to work again, that same zit faced kid pulled me over AGAIN!!!!! I know I was going the limit, I looked down at the odometer in fact when I saw the kid in his pickup just to be sure. But low and behold he pulled my ass over again. Why? Oh I was hot now. What is it, the taxi stripping down the side of my car? Or are my boobs looking that good that he just needs to see more. He pulled me over because he didn't see me with a belt on. Listen when I was fatter I didn't wear a belt for more reasons than one, but I wear a belt now. However, we have a GTMO special and the Ford has those automatic belts that follow the door. Well the car has sat in Gtmo heat for so long that the belt is useless and it doesn't look when you stop fast. Basically it comes across sits right across my mouth and creates a hazard, so I un-buckle that one and only use the lap belt, which I am hoping really works. Regardless...I explain to zit boy about the belt and point out that I do have the lap belt on. He says it looks good and he is going to direct me out into traffic, but I stop him. I say listen can you please make a note so that I am not being stopped everyday by him and his teenage posse and while we are at it, can Maegan sit in the front seat, because quite frankly I may go postal on these kids if they pull me over again for stupid shit again. He assures me that he will make notes and Maegan is fine. Yea I tell you if I get stopped tomorrow I am going to go talk to the officer of the day. I have my connections mind you. I found out my friend Wendy is the traffic judge, she was laughing her ass off at me last night as I relayed the story to her. I tell you.

On top of that craziness we have been setting up house. Yes my friends we are finally all unpacked. Is everything put away, hell no! Am I going crazy tripping over things left and right, yeppers. But we did get each one of the kids rooms done and I will post pics of those rooms tomorrow. I did finally get our camera out, yippee and I will be posting pictures soon.

Also, I interviewed at Navy Federal Credit Union. Do I want to work there? NO!! Again I have felt my age, which I just want to restate is not old, older or even worthy of Mamhood, but old I have been feeling. First with the zit boy and his pals but again at the interview. The manager of the CU is like 20 I think, she has a freakin' tongue ring for God's sake. I am looking at this girl and thinking when in the world did I start being the oldest in the room rather than the youngest? I have been the youngest my entire life.. my friends are all older than me, if not older than at least the same age, my employers have ALWAYS been older and wiser. But here is this girl with a tongue ring interviewing me. A shocker I tell you....It looks promising regardless if I want to work there or not. I did put some feelers our as well to babysit here at home during the day. We shall see how this all pans out. I am praying the God leads me down the right path. The CU makes more money, but I will be shelling out more cash so that I can put Maegan in the daycare program here. So it could be a toss up. I will be researching that this week.

Other than that, we are celebrating red ribbon week at school, the kids are drug free they tell me. Adam finishes soccer this week, THANK GOD! We were looking at doing flag football and cheer for Madie but for one thing it is expensive and we have no money and for another, we haven't had the time to be a family as much because we are constantly running back and forth to games or Brownies and now Little Flowers. So, Alan and I are thinking that both flag football and cheer are going to pass us by and we will start up again with outside activities after the holidays. Apparently the holidays are huge here so...At any rate Alan is going to begin doing cub scouts with Adam, they will be lone scouts as there is not a cub scout troop here and Madie and I will continue to do Brownie scouts and our super catholic girls club called Little Flowers of St. Therese.

Okay, until tomorrow I send you all my love

Hutia

2009-10-13T08:08:00.003-05:00

So while Peyton the kids and I ate with Spencer, Gerald and Nohad on Friday night, Nohad posed this question. She leaned in and sheepishly asked if I had ever heard of a "Banana Rat?" I laughed and yet I was a bit shocked. How in the world had Nohad heard of our local "Banana Rats?" A Banana Rat, or rather the Hutia is a mammal native to the Caribbean. They are called "Banana Rats" by us here in Gtmo not because of what they eat, but because their poop looks like tiny black bananas. In fact Maegan once picked up one of the tiny "bananas" and asked me if it was a nut or baby banana. Yum!! Here are some stock photos of the Cuban Banana Rat.

Interesting enough, they are said to be all over the island and while I see their tiny banana poop and pee everywhere, including our porch, I have yet to see one alive. They remind me of that other elusive creature the Armadillo. You know they must be alive when hit by cars, yet you never see one that isn't smashed or with four legs in the air. So too for the Banana Rat. At least for me. Everyone tells me you can see them everywhere if you just look, but seriously I HAVE been looking, like mad and yet I have never seen one living. That is until last night. Yep I saw my first real living Hutia. Sitting on the side of the road. I was tempted to stop the car and enjoy the moment, but we are just talking about glorified rodents here, so on I went. I did find out one thing though that disturbs me quite a bit. The Cubans hunt and eat this animal. While they can get quite large, something like weighing close to 15lbs, I can't imagine eating one of them. Again sort of that back hills delicacy opossum back home. There is apparently a yummy stew they make out of it. I will be staying away from the roadside food stand that is for sure....

So I can now say that I have not only seen the evidence of said Banana Rats but I have had my first experience with a live one. On to more Gtmo adventures...

Back in GTMO and loving it

2009-10-11T19:25:00.002-05:00

So I have been off island and off line for the past week, well really six days...what an adventure.

First and foremost---Coming here to Gtmo from Norfolk was a breeze. This is of course when we finally got to follow Alan here in Aug. The flight rocked, we had not one but two hot meals on the plane. Not a bump, not so much as an unexpected drop in pressure. Nothing. Coming to the US this time freakin' sucked butt. Not only did we not get a meal, the snacks were awful. The stewards had no ice and only a few things of water to offer us. The actual flight was rocky and bumpy and nauseating. SUCKED. I was so freakin' glad to land.
Maegan and I got to Norfolk at 8PM and promptly jumped off the plane into cold weather. Not to worry though, I had packed us jackets in preparation. What ensued were three chaotic days of doctors appointments and a visit to the lab, where they sucked 15 tubes of blood out of me, shopping, taking things back, shopping again, oh and have I mentioned shopping. I made a total of 9 trips back and forth to Walmart and one trip to Lowes. I wasn't very successful in any of my shopping as you are sure to tell by my frequent trips back and forth. I did however manage to get just about everything on my list and what I didn't get I was able to order online. YIPPEE. That means that both Maegan and Madie have birthday gifts and I did a tentative scout of Christmas gifts.

I was also able to go out with Peyton and Courtney for my birthday and I had a great time. Then it was all over before I knew it and I needed to head back to Gtmo. Now what I have failed to mention was my astonishment at life in the US and our existence here in the land of OZ. On Wed morning I had to be in Portsmouth for my doctors appointment. When I lived in the real world driving to Portsmouth, while taking about 45 min. was no big deal. So I thought nothing of jumping into Peyton's SUV and heading to yonder hospital. Can I just tell you, MY GOD PEOPLE SPEED!!!! I came to the intersection that leads out of the neighborhood and I couldn't go anywhere. There were thousands of people zooming past me at what seemed like 1000 mph. I was floored. I have only been gone for two months, but HOLY CRAP. I managed to make it across the median and into the flow of traffic, but to say I was going slow would be the understatement of the year. These crazy ass drivers were zooming and flying by me at warp speed. Something like 45 mph, compared to my 20. I did finally manage to get up to speed only to be waylaid by the interstate. The interstate, I loved the interstate. Fast, quick, got you to your destination in great time. I got onto the entrance ramp and all I could think of was the fact that my lovely interstate highway was designed by the devil himself for I had driven into the depths of hell. Lights, horns, zooming cars. I was a bit scared to say the least. But again I did the impossible. Not only did I manage to get onto the interstate, but I managed to get in the "fast" lane and even get the SUV to a whopping 60mph. For all my non-VA friends, the speed limit there is 55mph. What I used to think of as crawling. However, after I got done with the doctor I jumped into the car and it was like I had never left. Amazing.

This is the other thing I observed. People in general are not only rude, and standoffish, but they are in a huge hurry to get to THERE. Wherever that may be, they just got to get there NOW. Well it seemed like everything was expected immediately. Our meal at the restaurant, the lights changing, the lady checking at Walmart. If for one millisecond you take what is perceived as too long, you get the go to hell looks, the roll of the eyes the "geeze lady" looks.

Not so in GTMO. We are a small island, the people here go SLOW. Dinner at the Windjammer could take as long as thirty or forty minutes to appear at your table. Hell it could take your waitress twenty minutes just to get to you table. Not because they are busy, just because. The speed limit is 25mph. Period, sometimes it is even 15mph in the school and hospital zones. You are expected to greet your cashiers, ask them how their day is, tip them. Holding the door open for ten people is NORMAL and EXPECTED. Finding a toy, iPod, or wallet means you make an announcement on the roller and email everyone you know so that the word is out that someone on the island has found your thing. It won't be broken, or empty! People wave as they drive by, slow down when you ride your bike, pull over for the police/EMT/Fire on both sides of the road. Church is on Sundays and Wed evenings-nothing else happens. Am I extolling the virtues of GTMO, I sure as hell am, GTMO and all the other small rural communities out there that have not forgotten that we are all human, going through the same struggles in life and we are here to help each other. So I say to all of you, when you get the chance, STOP!!! Take a breather. Wave at the lady doing her yard work, ask the Walmart lady how her day is. Just slow down. It make a world of difference to your life.

I did love being back in the states, but I really couldn't wait to get home to the hot humid tropics and see my husband and kids. I will tell you our flight out of the US was so much better. Peyton and Noa took us up to DC where we had a chance to go the zoo, and see Spencer, Nohad and Gerald. It was a great day, and then Peyton and I headed up to Baltimore, where I once again got us lost. But we made it to the hotel and off to bed. Maegan and I woke at 2:45AM and got our butts to the airport for our 3:30AM check in. The flight was better, like I said, but still no real meals. We did get sandwiches and chips though, which is far better than the Delta flight coming into the US. The flight out was Continental. So far Miami Air has been the best though.

So now I am home and back to meetings, and soccer and homework and dinner as a family every night. Know that I love you all and wish you well....

2009-10-04T17:27:00.002-05:00

So I have been very remiss in getting any blogging done. I whole heartily apologize to those of you who have been hanging by the seat of your pants waiting for my written word.

Today was a great day. The kids are in CCD after mass which leaves Alan and I time to get to know our fellow catholic islanders, there are not many of them I tell you. Anyway, as I was saying it was a great day. Our musician, who can play guitar great but lacks vocal talent, sang most of the parts of mass, and the Gloria had clapping. IT WAS SO REJOICEFUL. I was so thankful to God for this gift. The kids are really learning to be part of the mass rather than just sitting there. Adam and Madie are interested in all parts of the mass and follow along in the missal. Maegan tries for a few minutes but that is pushing it. Adam and Madie both want to be altar servers, but they have to have had their first communion. Not something either child plans on doing until we can do so with the family back home. So in the mean time they are simply learning. October is the month of the rosary and every Sunday they are having rosary thirty minutes before mass. I mentioned this to the family last night. Sure shootin' the kids were up and dressed for mass in nice clothes long before Alan and I were even up. We were a few minutes behind, but we came prepared with our rosaries and the kids followed along. We will be leading the rosary the last Sunday of October. The kids are each going to lead a decet of the rosary. Good Day....

I am in the middle of unpacking hell. Alan is busting his ass around here getting it all done. He is a worker I tell you. The house is an absolute mess, but there is an end insight. Yippee...

This weekend marked a first for two things. This was my first weekend to work in my trash garage sale shop, and this weekend is customer appreciation weekend thrown by the NEX(Navy Exchange). For all of you who don't know, the NEX is the Exchange here, like a PX. It is our grocery store /Walmart all rolled into one. It is pretty damn tiny, but it is all we have. Anyway, this whole customer appreciation thing is huge. There is a huge sale going on at the NEX as well as a 5K run, a concert, movie stars, and free crap. Did I mention free crap. Alan and I being who we are, have stayed as far away as possible from the chaos. We did go to the movies both Friday and Saturday nights, but other than that we have steered clear. That said we do drive past and I had to run in both yesterday and today for a few things. CRAZY!! Only word to describe this mess. There was a crowd gathered around the building with large boxes in their hands. Had no clue what that was all about, until I got out of the car to go in. There was one loooong table set up stacked with free stuff, and apparently you just walk down the length of the table and pick up you freebies. Then you get to the end of the line and get into a new one and get your free t-shirt from the NEX. I think we may have been one of the few families not there. Friday night after our movie, Cloudy with a Chance-again, some movie stars that stared in "Free Ticket" were there to introduce their movie and all that. And tonight Trace Lawrence is here giving a concert. Am I missing it? Yep, gotta get Adam's desk pit together and start packing for VA.

I have a list of my favorite things about GTMO life, and I promise to share it with you soon. This is one of them. Travel!! Maegan and I are leaving on Tuesday afternoon. On the flight will be us, our pediatrician, our physical therapist, Madie's Sunday school teacher and another family we know. I have never been on a flight where I knew so many people. The physical therapist, he is ALan's boss. Great guy, and I love his wife and kids. The pediatrician, Brian, great guy. Maegan loves him. The Sunday school teacher, her kids is in Madie's class and they live three doors down. So we will be well entertained on our way off the island. I have a list of things to get and am looking forward to driving faster than 25MPH. A bit scared as well, if I must say. I realize I have only been on island for less than two months, but getting used to this way of life is second nature. I can't wait to see what kind of reaction I will have to being off island. The people, no faces I see everyday, and the noise. We shall see.

So starting Tuesday I will be back in the states. I will try to blog then, but honestly I have a lot to pack into four days. I have to go Halloween costume shopping, birthday shopping for the girls, Christmas shopping and get some essentials for the house. Not to mention visit the Dr. and get blood work done. So until next time, I send you all my love

Parenting Milestones

2009-09-30T18:09:00.003-05:00

Today I have become a true parent. The three C-sections, seven years of breastfeeding, even trips to the ER in no way made me a parent. Today I told my kids to get up and do the dishes. Yep, I have finally made it. I not only told my kids to do the dishes, I did the unforgivable. I told them the "when I was your age" story. I was not only channeling Mom and Dad, I was channeling my Irish heritage and telling a good loooonggg sob story about how much worse it was for me and Chy. The story involved burning hot sudsy water and repeat washings when things weren't up to Randy's standards. And my favorite: Cheyenne. How she always got out of doing the damn dishes with one thing or another and how I was suffering so greatly to have to submerge my delicate hands into water only sadist could stand. I had them staring at me with bug eyes my friends. Then I sent them off to do the job that all people hate. I sat on my well rounded rump and enjoyed finally becoming a parent. I even thought about pouring a glass of wine to celebrate, but I figured that would push them over the edge. I'll save that for when I have to channel Mom and Dad and make the three of them live in the laundry room for fighting. OOh then I will celebrate not only being a parent but being a damn smart one to boot. XOXO

Our Amazing Kids

2009-09-30T13:24:00.002-05:00

Some recent quotes and comments from the kids:

MAEGAN---Friday when the movers where bringing in our stuff, there were boxes with "master bedroom" on them. The movers would come into the kitchen with boxes and ask me where to put them. Maegan was sitting watching all the goings on and asked me what master meant. I explained that mine and Alan's bedroom was called the "Master Suite." She in turn told asked me who the master was. I told her that Dad and I were, at which point she looked me dead in the eye and said "No Mom, God the Master."

ADAM--- He was outside playing with all his friends. He came in very upset, and I was trying to figure out what the problem was. Apparently his best friend Elijah was listening to his iPod and wanted to play, but wouldn't take the earphones out and really play. Adam's comment: "Doesn't he understand that you can't be a good friend and have fun if you are always plugged in?"

MADIE--- She has been wanting to watch Bridge to Teribithia for quite some time. It was finally on one day and she had a chance to watch it. Two days later she is curled up on the chair with me and she starts crying. She finally explains that in the movie the best friend dies. After she catches her breath, she says to me:"It really sucked Mom, they make you fall in love with a person and then take them away. What kinda movie people make these shows. They are awful. I want to watch good movies with good endings. Let the dieing happen in real life, I was make believe in the movies."

I have no idea how we have managed to raise such wonderful children. Okay I take that back. It is a constant struggle against the forces of evil I tell you. A parent struggles and struggles to find that balance between crazy over zealous protectiveness and hippie run amok. I whole heartily believe that a village is raising my three. They would never have been as wonderful without the guidance of our families and friends. My village in VaBeach, Joy, Cathryn, Tammie and Peyton helped so much. And now here... God has his plans I tell you. Maegan and I have been inundated with love. Everyone knows she works with me and Friday two different moms came to the shop to get Maegan and take her to the library. And today, a mom came and got her and took her to play group. So I send it out there to the cosmos, thank you. THANK YOU! I thank God, and all you wonderful people who have blessed our lives. Oh and I love you too....

2009-09-29T07:01:00.002-05:00

Holy Cow, has it really been four days? YIKES!! Well we have our stuff. I am beside myself with joy, anxiety, confusion and being overwhelmed. Talk about a huge task. The last time we moved Alan was home when the movers arrived and he had most of the house just about set up. Now sitting here I realize what a phenomenal job he did. It has been four days and we have two beds set up, the kitchen put away and the furniture where we want it. The table still has no legs attached, Adam and Maegan's beds are completely disassembled and the couch is on the floor not on it's feet. I will say we had some major losses this time as well. The move was hard on all our furniture. A leg on our couch was completely ripped off, fixable if we lived where there was a Lowes...our Ikea dresser was in pieces. The movers fixed it to a usable piece, but it will have to be replaced. We lost another chair in this move. A leg and rung were snapped in half, that leaves us three chairs...Just a lot of big damage, so far no broken tchachkis though we have yet to unpack all of them. We did discover that we have way too much. After living without for so long and then being inundated by all this stuff, Lord have mercy. We are getting rid of stuff left and right. For example, we have about thirty cups for the kids. REALLY?? Who in the hell needs 30 freakin' cups for 3 kids? I discovered that when you have less you tend to actually get dishes done EVERYDAY and that you use less. So this family has a new goal. Simplify.....How we are going to accomplish this???

So today is going to be a killer for the family. Adam has soccer, I have lector training, Alan has a school advisory council meeting, I then have cooking club, and we have to be home by 9pm so that Alan and I can see who is voted off Dancing with the Stars...whew. Lots to do, and all of it to be done between 5 and 8pm. Jammed packed. But it promises to be a good day. The whole family is suffering nasal drip, and I am talking drip here, drainage, sore throats and headaches. I think it is all the packed stuff. I am sure there are things on the barges as well as the pollen and allergens we packed from VA. We are all suffering I tell you. The school nurse called me yesterday at work to tell me she gave Adam some benedryl for his itchy eyes and throat. I swear Adam goes to the nurse every other day. So much more than last year. I think he gets a bit overwhelmed at school and she is a good haven to go to.

Speaking of the school, can I just say, amazing. Nothing compared to Thoroughgood, but still more than I imagined. There is something to be said for small schools. The counselor visits the classrooms once a week and has an open door to all at all times, the nurse is available for talking, visiting and sickness at all times, and the principals are so friendly to the kids. The kids can go chat with them as well. It is just such an open campus. I really am glad the kids are attending. I think Adam visits the nurse for a few reasons, 1st grade is so hard, the nurse is his connection to feeling physically better, and he knows her. She goes to mass with us and sits in our pew. She teaches CCD, but not his class, so he sees her everywhere. I really think that helps a bunch. I am so grateful for her that is for sure.

So lets see this weekend the kids started CCD, Sunday school. Madie's teacher is her friend Isiah's mom. Her name is Monique and they live three doors down the road. Adam's teacher is Brianna. Her husband is Alan's tech, the chief actually. So we know them from the pharmacy. And Maegan's teacher is a random lady, but she comes into the shop every few days so she and Maegan are really hitting it off. They all seemed to enjoy the classes. I am not teaching, which is such a blessing. The one kids I was going to teach bowed out, so I called and said, great. I am overextended as it is. So I am off the hook, thank God. Not that I would have minded teaching, but I have way over promised myself to too much, in the hopes of meeting new people and being part of the community here. So I am thankful for the reprieve.

Well I am off to unpack the big computer and get my desk in order, at least that is what I want to do. If it gets done is another matter. Snot is dripping out of my face at a rapid rate and my head is pounding, so we shall see. At the very least, the table needs some legs so we can stop eating on the floor.

I send you all my love...ooh and if I can get the desk unpacked, there is a camera in there, whoo hoo...

Birthday

2009-09-25T06:10:00.002-05:00

To my sisiters. So sorry about the short calls last night. You see, I should be able to stop watching TV long enough to chat to two of the most important people in my life. BUT, we don't have tivo, not allowed on base. Which means that I can't stop a show, can't record it, well blah blah. And honestly I only ever watch two shows. Grey's and Army Wives. You happened to call during the season premier, and all I can say is GEORGE! I was crying and having a hard time letting go. So again, sorry I was too caught up in a make-believe man and his death. Freakin' TV. It sucks you in my dears...

So today is the day. I am writing way early today so as to get a blog in before the guys come. Alan, my ever multitasking husband, forgot to call the other guys to come take away our loaner furniture. So we may have a bit a hard time getting things in and moving the loaners out. Of course if I were in charge I would have called them the second I got the movers call, but that is just me.

So now I am chilling waiting for the guys. Then tonight after everyone is gone and our house is a mess we are taking the kids to see "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." Tonight is the first night it is showing and we had so much fun last Friday going to the show we figured we go again tonight. Not like our stuff in boxes won't still be here. Then while Alan unpacks I am taking Adam to soccer tomorrow morning. Lots of stuff going on. The good thing, Alan gets to take off today to help out, THANK GOD!! I know I could check furniture in, but it will be so much nicer having help.

So until I get a chance to blog more, I love you all and will talk to you soon.....

2009-09-24T14:26:00.004-05:00

First and foremost thank you all for the birthday love. I have gotten so many birthday wishes from you all. It is so freakin' nice and has made my day. I was laying in bed last night giving thanks to God for another year when I started thinking. My Asian friends tell me that in the orient they begin a child's life at 1 year, they don't start counting by weeks, or months. A child is born it is a year. So for instance if I were in the orient I would be 34 now, not 33. So I have celebrated being alive for 33 years and am embarking on 34th. Which really got me all worked up because I just aged myself another year. At this rate I'll be forty way too soon. So after fretting about how old I was for a good five minutes, I got hold of myself and decided that I really am 33, not 34 and life was good enough for me to sleep. Whew.

Now on to the really good news. OUR STUFF IS HERE. Yeppers. We got a call yesterday from the "men" and they said they would be here sometime tomorrow to drop all our crap off. 14 crates full of stuff. 14. Can you believe that? What is worse, the average house down here is 11 to 13. Yeah we have too much stuff. And can I tell after living first in Peyton's house and now here with the bare essentials, I can't wait to get my stuff. I don't need it, that is for sure. But by golly I can't wait to have it. It is more exciting than Christmas my friends. We get to sleep in our own bed tomorrow. I am rolling up the egg crates and packing them away. I already packed up the small box of kitchen stuff they let us borrow and cleaned out our clothes and the kids toys from the borrowed dressers and nightstands. All of our borrowed stuff will be moved out at 7:30 am tomorrow morning. I am hoping to get some pictures of the loaner furniture before they come and get it tomorrow. Lord knows how that will go. The only depressing thing about this is that in a short 28 months we will be back in this same position with the loaner stuff. I am keeping a list of all the things we really needed this go round and that way I know what to not let the movers pack for our trip out. I am also keeping all the egg crates, damn foam...

On top of that, I did get to change the hours to the store so I am only working M,W and F. So nice, as I have thousands of things going on.

So tonight for my birthday we are going to eat at the Bayview, the nice restaurant. They have Mongolian Barbeque on Thursdays. My first Asian food since being here. Hey if any of you have good chinese food, or schezuan type recipes send them on. We have no "ethnic" places here. Just run of the mill restaurants. I am hoping that I kept my Italian cook book as well as my Tex Mex one. I am dying for the taste of "American" food. Of course, I make food which ends up being a ton, I eat my whole 1/2 to 1 cup helping of it and then Alan eats the rest. Well whatever the girls don't eat. Needless to say my man is getting bigger. He keeps telling me at this rate he will get kicked out of the Navy for being too fat. Ah the dilemma

So tomorrow I will be off line as I work to get the house in order, again YIPPEE. And then this weekend will be full with Adam's soccer game, a date for the birthday with Alan, a membership drive I have to go to on Sunday and I teach my first CCD class on Sunday as well. How in the hell did I get so busy so quickly???

I send you all love and I will talk to you all soon

2009-09-23T07:02:00.003-05:00

So yesterday was so crazy that I didn't even get but a few minutes to check email. Sorry about not blogging. Now I have a good 13 minutes before I have to leave for work. News on our end. I have worked it out with the powers that be to only work M,W and F from 8:30 to 1:30. That way I can still take Adam to soccer practices and be a part of the both the cooking club and book club. The only two things I am doing only for me. Of course the clubs only meet once a month, but at least it is something at this point. Alan has been at work from the early morning until 8 or 9pm each night. So much for family time huh. Na, it should change soon. The Joint Commission is coming, so big wig group that accredits hospitals or something. So he has been having to clean up the pharmacy and make changes, all of which should have been going on for years of course. So I see him for little snippets each day. The kids seem to be content, of course they are busy with their very involved lives. Adam is now part of the "character counts" club. I have no idea what they are doing, something about building core character traits, and Madie is hoping that she will be selected to participate as well. I am betting on Madie being a part of the club. She was student of the week the first week and Mrs.F is always telling the class to follow what Madie does because she always does it right. Needless to say Madie is so happy she is finally the star. All the kids tell me that Madie rights the nicest and she is Mrs.F's favorite. My kid is in hog heaven.

So I am off to work another day. This job would be fine if I wasn't doing everything else in the world at our house. I told Alan last night that being a single working mom is NOT what I had in mind when we moved. He made some sort of comment that got him into an ass load of trouble and well lets just say frigid is how the house seems today. Well it thawed a bit last night after we talked about his inappropriate comment and all that. Good times in Cuba my friends, good times.

Tonight is another packed night. Maegan and I work til 1:30 and then Adam has the character thing at school until 3. Then homework, and off to Girl Scouts for a meeting at 6. Then back home for dinner and bed. Yikes long day....Love you all

Being a working mom sucks!!

2009-09-21T13:26:00.001-05:00

Holy Cow. How in the hell do women everywhere do this? This whole working mom thing? It sucks, and I have older kids now and I can take my youngest with me, and I have a great husband that does tons of crap around the house, and I only work four hours a day. BUT oh my. My brain hurts, I am tired and good Lord I don't remember having to be nice to so many people at one time in a long, long ass time. I am so tired.

Okay are done listening to me complain. Can I just say to all you moms out there who work real jobs day in and day out and manage the house and well are super woman. There is a special place in heaven for you my friends. There really is. God bless each and everyone of you.

That's it, I am tired and the kids are home. I love you all...

2009-09-20T09:20:00.002-05:00

Holy Moly, I haven't blogged in a few days and I have things to tell you. First we'll start with Friday:

After school and after my lovely husband got home from work, we decided to go to the movies. Now these aren't just regular old movies. Nope this is an outdoor movie theater. There is movie theater seating in the front then bleachers in the back. In between the bleachers and the theater seats is a section open for you to bring your own camp chairs or blankets. It reminds me of drive-in movies only better. The sound is so much better and there is no windshield to look through. Then there is the snack shack. They have a ton of snacks for purchase, everything from cotton candy freshly made, to popcorn and ice cream. The popcorn is the butter your own and they have about ten different toppings to add to the popcorn if you'd like. I opted for cheddar cheese. As for prices let me just give you our order and how much that cost. I was floored. we had two medium popcorns, three ice creams, bag of gummy bears, Gatorade-the big size, and three waters. All for the low low price of $11. Yep we spent a whole $11 for movie night Friday. Oh did I tell you the movie is free too? And I am not talking about crap movies here. We saw Aliens in the Attic Friday, it has been out for awhile, but not too long. And did I mention its free? Anyway, we had a ton of fun. The other thing that rocks is that there is a movie each night. They start at 8 or 10pm. Very cool.

Saturday:

We started the day with a soccer practice at 8am, with the potential of having a game at 8:30. One thing I have learned in the short four and half weeks we have been here is this: Time to the host nationals is relative. The saying goes that we are on Jamaican time. The bad part is that the base relies on the host nationals for jobs such as youth sports and what not. So while only military and DoD children can play the sports, the host nationals actually schedule the games. And I say schedule loosely here. We had a schedule given to us yesterday as we were leaving the field by the team coach. As we were walking to our car one of the directors took it from us and said it wasn't right. Yikes. The poor little ones just want to play. So while the yahoos tried to pull their heads out yesterday morning we had the kids warm up with one team and then we played ourselves because for some reason the powers that be thought it would be a great idea to have five small teams rather than four bigger teams. That means one team is always out. I asked why they did this and was told by moms that this way the kids get more play time. Really? They get more play time? Seems logical...to idiots. Needless to say the organized sports seriously lack some guidance, but as I have my hands full I will try not to complain too much.

Anyway, Adam and his Green Gator team played like crazy with each other for about an hour. In the mean time those of us sitting in the sun cooking discovered that watching our little ones kick a ball back and forth was not that enjoyable and why in the hell did we sign up for this. Oh that's right the beaming smiles on the kids sweaty red faces.....I forgot. I think the sun fried parts of my brain.

After soccer I had to go be a fill in Girl Scout leader for the Daisy's. While I did that Alan and Madie reorganized ALL MY STUFF. Why oh why does my wonderful husband think I would want him to reorganize my crap when I love my system. I knew where everything was and good Lord he redid it all. After he and Madie "cleaned" I spent a good hour looking for my paper work. Things like our passports, and social security cards. It was not helpful but I tell you they were so proud of themselves I had to stop being so angry and say thank you. With the advice that the next time they feel the need to organize me, THEY FREAKIN ASK.

Then it was off to the pet wash. The Brownies, in an attempt to raise money without really raising money, had a pet wash that was donation only. Madie went and had a ball. In the three hours that she was gone washing she said they washed a whole three dogs. I wasn't here, that's latter in the story, but apparently Maegan made an appearance at the wash as did Adam. It was held at a house just, well not down the road and not in our neighborhood, but well sort of on the next block. I swear pictures would help sooooo much. Ah soon

So they washed, Alan did something, I have no clue what, I think laundry and I well I spent the afternoon with a few new friends.

When you attend anything around here you are bound to know a few hundred of the faces. Alan's hospital has a new Commanding Officer (CO), named Captain Wright. Alan and I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife Sue at a meeting about a week ago, and one of thier children, Emily, is in Madie's class. So Friday night while getting yummies at the shack I caught up with Sue. She and the family were there to see the show as well. We chatted it up and hit it off. Then yesterday morning while me and the clan were at the store we bumped into the Wrights and Sue invited me to hang with her at the ceramics and pottery shop. She offered to help me get started. So while everyone else was busy I got the chance to hang out with a new friend. She showed me at the ceramics stuff and then we sat and gabbed. I have no idea if she got done what she was hoping to, but it was so nice to just sit without kids and just get to know someone new. She had breast cancer three years ago and it has made things a lot clearer to her. That said she is so down to earth and just good people. When we were done chatting and realized we both needed to head home I poked my head into the pottery room. I had seen a couple go in and her face looked familiar. I thought she might help me with pottery as I would rather do that than ceramics any day. So I went in and again met the nicest people. They are a couple who met here in Gtmo in '94 being refugees from Cuba. They had come over the border seeking refuge and ended up getting married. She is still a Cuban citizen, with a visa in the US and he is in the Navy now. Somehow they got stationed here again. They told me all about the real Cuba and how Gtmo is nothing like the rest of Cuba. He said that it is much more a tropical island and there are fruit trees everywhere, no cacti. He said if I really want to see what Cuba is like I should go to the Dominican Republic. It looks like Cuba, the poverty is close to the same, only thing different is the safety. It is so much safer in the DR than in Cuba. He said that for me to get into Cuba and visit would be constant danger, not from the government but from the guerrilla troops. They have been trained to hate Americans and they shoot first. Scary. I have since changed my mind about visiting Havana...YIKES....Needless to say they are a wonderful couple who have offered to take me under their wings and help me with pottery and anything Cuban I would like to know. I am hoping to have them teach me some cooking.....Yummmm

And then we had our first family game night, and we all had a ball. We played Chinese Checkers and of course I won. I cheated of course, I mean you all know me, so in reality I think Alan won. Why cheat when playing with your kids..TIME my friends, time. We had been playing the same damn game for about two hours and the younger two had just about had it. So I speeded things along a bit. None the wiser, sooner to bed for the kids, sooner to relax for the parents. Good night...

Sunday

Mass was much better today and in about thirty minutes Alan and I are going out on a date. The Bayview Club, the nice restaurant here, has brunch on Sundays and today they are featuring Cuban Cigar rolling. I plan on buying some if possible of course. But I am looking forward to just having time with Alan without a meeting being held or kids climbing on us.

So until tomorrow I send you all my love

2009-09-18T06:57:00.002-05:00

What a week. I can't believe it is already Friday again. The month is flying by I tell you. So here in GTMO we get cable provided by the government. We have about 50 channels and we can purchase the movie channels as well, but really it is only me and Maegan who ever watch it, so what is the point. Anyway, it is basic cable. No Disney, HGTV, Noggin. That kinda thing. Oh and no Tivo, DVR things. The kids keep asking me to stop the show, yeah right...What they do have? Commercials. And they kill us all. Depending on where the channel is coming from. For example we can get the news coming out of New York and Miami. But we also get channels piped in from Chicago and there is another channel that is piped in but we haven't figured out where it is coming from. So the commercials come from all over. We are being taunted by Jack in the Box, Whataburger and a few others that make us all crazy. But the worst. The absolute worst are the movies. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is out today, that movie with Jenn Aniston, The Informant. I am telling you there isn't a ton to do on Friday nights and we would love to hit the movies, but it takes a long time to get a movie here and once it does it is on a rotation for about two months before it is replaced by another one. Needless to say, all I hear is that the kids want to see Cloudy, or the double feature 3D Toy Story coming to theaters on Oct2. I guess what I am saying to you all, enjoy the movies my friends. When we come back in May Lord knows we will be seeing an ass load of them.

Okay so this weekend is going to be FULL.... We have soccer tomorrow morning, still have no clue where or what time...then we have a Brownie Scout Pet Wash fundraiser. Yep, we get together at the leader's house and wash pets. I am sending Alan, can you just imagine me and my allergies around 50 wet dogs? And then Sunday we are off to watch the Cubans roll cigars. Lots of fun. In the mean time...

Madie and I are on a walking mission. Yesterday we finally walked two miles. We have been doing 1 1/2 but we pushed it to two last night. We hope to build up to four or five by the end of Oct. We shall see how that goes. We want to walk to school, at least that is our plan. School is only 2 1/2 miles away, but we do have some pretty steep hills to climb so that will be a big push. There are windmills here and a trail you can climb up to them. From our house it is a total of five miles to the top. Until then we will keep on truckin around the neighborhood park.

Monday Maegan and I start work at the thrift store. We work for about four hours on M,W and F. So it shouldn't be too bad, but I am a bit worried about keeping Maegan busy. There are things she will be able to help me with at the store, and I plan on packing her backpack with activities, but I am worried she will be quite bored. Which will in turn make me nuts because she will be all over me. I was talking to Alan last night, and while I need to have a job, it has been a good nine years since I worked, and can I say. YUCK, I really have no desire to work. Of course I guess that is what just about everyone feels hugh. Ahh now I am finally living the life....I love you all

Adam, Adam, Adam...

2009-09-16T18:08:00.002-05:00

Oh my let me tell you about the boy once more. You all knew that a boy is not something I exactly hoped for way back when. That said, can I just say, my Adam is such a freakin' boy, my worst nightmare. And I LOVE IT!!!

So yesterday Adam had his first soccer practice. He is on a team of mixed boys and girls, ages 4-6. It really sucks for him. He is pretty darn good at chasing a ball, kicking it and by golly he actually makes goals, ALOT. Anyway, since there aren't enough kids here that are interested in playing soccer the teams are broken up strangely such as his team where he has a 4yro who can't follow the simple direction of follow the ball, to Adam and his buddy who charge the other players with the ball being passed between them. Needless to say it is a comedy to watch. However, that said he loved it. Between school, playing and soccer this kid is never going to get clean again and he is just beside himself with the joy of life. Thank you God for this gift....

And the other thing about my boy. He is so open and just a, well this is what he told me two nights ago. It started with a request to talk to me by myself later that night. He reminded me three times that night and when he finally got a chance to get me alone he confided in me this gem: " Mom, you know that girl Katerina. She and I are in love." I replied with a nod and hummm, okay. At which point he says to me, " We are really in love mom, we already got married and everything. I know it isn't real, but we are planning on getting married later, like when we are old, you know about 15. Okay mom?" I was trying to take it all in. My son's first love... and besides living in that moment and loving it, I was thinking. Dang it we have been in the wedding spot before and there was a lot of kissing, yikes. So I said to him..."I am so glad you found someone to love Adam. I am so happy for you. But absolutely no kissing. NONE, not even kissing on the cheek babe, okay save that for the real wedding." At which point, with a serious look on his face he said, "okay mom. Thanks for letting me tell you. Night, Love you." I will never forget his little face and the seriousness of his demeanor and his trust in telling me. Now how do I keep that alive in my little man???

Other than that, we have been cleaning, there is black dirt and white dust here, everywhere. And grocery shopping. We went the other night, only to discover the store closed 45 minutes after we got there. So we finished it tonight. I didn't find mason jars or lids, so when I am in VA I am going to have to buy jars. My plan is to sell salsa at the next craft fair. At any rate my list for getting things in VA is growing. I finally found the scales and I am happy to tell all of you that I now weigh 240. That is 104lbs lost. 96lbs to goal. I have been stuck here at this or close to this weight for a bit now, which is supposed to happen, but still. So I really have to kick it up a notch this week to jump start the metabolism again. So I thought I would start by working everyday of the week. Yep that is right I got the job at the thrift store. I start on Monday. I talked to the group of ladies that run the store and they all seem like it is a no brainer job. Then I went in to talk to the lady working there now, and she had nothing positive to say. Apparently the Jamaicans and the Filipinos do nothing but steal, lie and try to bargain with you. They also try to pass off their native money as American. She was very angry at the whole experience she had while working there. Took that with a grain of salt. After talking to the board of operators again after talking to her, it looks like she never communicated with them, blah, blah. This is all I know. I get to take my kid. I can change the hours to suit me and I still get paid for it. Not too bad. Plus it looks like I may only have to work for the first year, so I am fine with working for now. We shall see how it goes....

Okay so I am off to clean the kids and send them to bed. Tonight I get to watch my show. Ghost Hunters. I was so excited to find out the cable here has SyFy. Yippee. I send you all my love....

2009-09-15T07:41:00.002-05:00

So it is only the third Tuesday of the school year and already we are booked...

Alan and I went to the PTO (parent teacher organization) meeting last night. Holy Cow. I volunteered last year at the kid's school, but I was never involved in the background, but I figured if I want to be a part of something I might as well go all the way right. So I met a ton of moms, no dads, Alan was the only one. Anyway I met a ton of moms and got a chance to see what the school is planning for the year. One incredible thing they are doing this year is having a circus group come in and teach the kids. Apparently this group of guys make a living by going to schools and during the kids PE classes they teach the kids how to juggle, spin plates, devil sticks, diablos and acrobatics. They start the week off by doing a performance for the school, and for the troops, then they spend the week teaching all the kids how to do these things, and then the kids put on their own show at the end of the week. I really can't believe that a DoD school is willing to pay these people to come teach our kids how to be circus performers. I guess it is the military fall back plan, hahha..

Okay so the kids were out of school yesterday and can I tell you, Adam....My sweet baby boy Adam. He was gone all day. Literally all day. I saw him for breakfast, he came in for a whole ten minutes to swallow his lunch and then I saw him again right before we left for the meeting. OH MY. We were a bit late to the meeting so that I could scrub Adam's face and hands. That was all we had time for, but can I tell you. DIRT. There was black dirt all over this boy. His pants were tan, BLACK. His shirt that was blue, BLACK. His knees, BLACK.....I tell you I haven't seen him so dirty ever. It was like looking at Mike Rowe on Dirt Jobs. He was a mess. When we finally got back from the meeting and got him in the shower the water was black. And still I didn't get all the black off his knees or elbows, and I scrubbed... Needless to say the boy is having the time of his life.

It also looks like I have a job. It isn't the best paying one out there, but I think it is the best for our needs. I will be the manager at the Treasures and Trivia store. It is the second hand store for the base, which means it can get pretty busy. There are a few reasons why I chose this over the day care thing. The store will let me bring Maegan, I can set the store hours, I get an employee discount, and I get first dibs on all the stuff that comes in. The child care gig sounded very appealing. But I thought I better do some research on why no one wanted the job before I took it. And after talking to about ten moms I discovered that not only is there a ton of paper work, but the work itself is very disruptive of family life. All the reservations I had about becoming a child development home were well founded. In fact I talked to three moms who had in fact started doing the CDH thing and quit after the first month. So while the store doesn't pay huge, it will at least be enough for me to pay for our groceries for the month, and that way Alan's entire pay check can go to paying bills. We are hoping to be debt free by the time we leave the island. We shall see though....

I think that is it for now. I know there were other things I was planning on blogging, but Lord knows the thoughts fly out just as quick as they fly in. I am off to read to Adam's class. Yippee. Finally I get to do something with the kids. I send you all my love....

2009-09-13T10:22:00.002-05:00

I posted these pictures the family took last Dec for calendars, because I have heard from both sisters about how much they miss me, and quite frankly I am missing them and ALL of the families I call my own.

Today has been a hard day for me. In VaBeach we found a church that we just absolutely loved. The people there opened their arms to us and the priests were some of the best liturgist I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. Today we went to church for the first time and while the church building is exactly what a small Caribbean naval base church should look like, the priest and music were so blah. I know I shouldn't let that damped my mood, but lets face it. Attending mass when the priest is monotone and obviously not having a good time, well it just makes going to church a duty rather than a celebration of Christ and church. I was in quite a funk before mass, but mass sure didn't brighten my heavy heart. That said I did get the kids signed up for CCD, Madie will be learning about First Communion, which she will not do here. She refuses to have her first communion with out her godmothers, grandparents, aunts and uncle present. So she is simply learning about it. The other two are enrolled as well. As I was enrolling the kids I got roped into teaching the one and only eighth grader confirmation. Yep, they confirm here at eighth grade not senior high. Alan got roped into facilitating RCIA. SO we are at least getting involved, maybe that will make us more excited to go to mass.

Okay so my heart is aching, not because of mass, I mean it didn't help any, but it isn't the reason. I am SAD. I miss the real world so much. I have made a few connections with some ladies and I am sure I will make some good friends soon, but I want to be able to go. I want people to call me, because I suck at making the phone calls, and really I just am lonely, PMS-ing, and missing my family and friends. We have had so much going on, and yet I just can't seem to get out of my funk. I am blaming it on the hormones for now, but we shall see.

The last few days have been crazy. Friday we had a ton going on, I already posted all that, but then Sat we had our first girl scout Brownie meeting. Madie had a ball. There are three girls from her class in Brownies. For me, I met a terrific lady named Gail whose husband is a civilian DoD firefighter. She seems the most down to earth here, and she isn't part of the military so she and I have a lot in common. But while I was sitting there talking to the coordinator it became clear that the Brownies need another leader, as one is leaving in Nov. So of course I am now a Brownie Scout leader, the only Le Leche League leader on island, an eighth grade confirmation teacher, a HSO member(hospital support organization) and everything else. See I really am trying to meet people and get involved. Anyway, we had Brownies then Alan and I had a "wetting-down" party to go to. A "wetting-down" which is now not sanctioned by the Navy is a tradition where a sailor who has made a new rank gets hazed. This "wetting-down" was for a LTCDR making Captain, and was a huge party thrown by the new captain to honor her new rank. Apparently the unspoken rule is that as the honoree you have to provide food, and alcohol for everyone, and the amount of alcohol purchased needs to equal the difference between your old pay and the new pay, for a month. Crazy! At any rate we went and met some new folks. A huge turn over happens during the summer so alot of us our new. We had a bit of fun.

It just seems like we have been so busy and are getting busier. Adam starts soccer Tues and his games are on Sat. He is so excited, and I am hoping that some of his friends are on the soccer team as well.

Also, I had an interview with the Child Development Center(CDC) director. They need shift homes, homes that are open to kids from 6pm to 6am. I would get paid whether we had kids in the home or not. The draw back is that I will need to be here in the home everyday from 6-6. I can transport the kids, but you all saw our GTMO special, no more can fit. And with all the other commitments I have made it would make it quite difficult to still be a part of that. I could be a CDC house during the day, but it gets no special incentives, such as getting paid when I don't have any kids. The other thing I am battling in my head is this:

As a family we have been looking forward to having this time together in Cuba. One of the reasons for joining the Navy was so that Alan would have better hours and we could be a family. We haven't been able to do that until getting here. For the first time since leaving Texas we really are eating dinner together every night, getting dishes done after we eat, doing bath time, reading stories at bedtime, playing games with each other, exploring together. TOGETHER. We haven't had that ever and so giving that up isn't something I really want to do. On the other hand, it will be more than tight around here if I don't figure out a job soon. I do have all kinds of ideas for the craft fairs, such as selling salsa and pico de gallo, selling purses, and making mosaics out of sea glass. But will those crafty things actually make us money, and if they do, will it be enough to bypass me getting a "real" job??? Another prayerful day....

So now I am sitting here pouring all my worries and sorrows to you fine folk. So sorry you are subjected to my moods, but seriously following a blog written by me, you surely knew that my moods would come flowing out sometime, right??? I send you all my love...

2009-09-10T21:23:00.002-05:00

I just read some the comments and I have been requested by my Dad to send pictures of the house. As soon I figure out how to do the flip camera down loads on this I will post pictures of the house and the parks that the kids love to play at. There is one park directly across the cul d'sac from us and one behind us. Adam is outside all the time. He has a friend from class named Elijah that he plays with. It is like being home in Henrietta. Adam comes in for water and to eat that is it. The girls, well they think the park across the street is nice but they love the one behind us. I really don't like that one, as I have to stop what I am doing to take them over since we have to cross one of the main streets to get there. Again pictures I am working on. But the good thing about the park is that it is down in a sort of valley that is surrounded by a huge grassy area. I just discovered that I can walk around the grassy area three times while the kids play and it equals a 1 1/2 miles. So I am walking my ass off now and the kids get to play. Very good for all of us. Okay so I will work on pictures from the flip camera and hopefully Saturday I will have new pictures for you all. I love you all....

2009-09-10T20:54:00.003-05:00

Funky looking coral from Cable Beach. Thought you all would like the pictures.

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Not much happened to us today. Maegan and I made play dough and I applied for a job at Navy Federal. I am keeping my fingers crossed about this job, it is part time with flexible hours...Really I am praying my ass off about this job.

While today was slow, tomorrow will be crazy. Alan has to be at work at 0630, but I need the car tomorrow, so that means we are all getting up at the crack o'dawn. Then Maegan and I are going to the library for story time, apparently it is the absolute best here, complete with puppets. Then after school the kids and I are meeting a young girl named Katie, she will be babysitting the kids while Alan and I get involved in some kind of hospital committee. Here the "Old" Navy comes shinning through. He was sent an email that pretty much instructed him to make sure his significant other came to the meeting as well and that we were both involved in this committee. I have no idea what it is for, nor does Alan. But in order to please the powers that be, we will be at the meeting with bells on.

Then after the meeting we will be getting the kids in long sleeve shirts and spraying on the bug spray for the outdoor theater. GI Joe is showing tomorrow night at the Lyceum, our outdoor movie theater. We have been promising the boy we would go since before we left the US. So, tomorrow night we are all heading to the movie.

I am a bit nervous about the babysitter thing. I haven't spent any time with Katie, I have at least met the whole family, and she lives a whole three doors down. But we have no cell phone so if something happens they can't get hold of us. Her dad works at the hospital as well, so I am sure he and his wife will be at the meeting we are going to, which makes me even more nervous. But I am learning to let go and we shall see what happens. I guess this is what our parents did, but I tell you I really hate this. But the up side is if the kids love her, than on the 20th we are going to have her come watch the kids again while Alan and I have brunch at the NICE restaurant. They are having some Cubans come in a hand roll cigars. Not something we should miss I think. Although what I have been told about why Cuban cigars are so sought after, I am thinking this won't be the real thing. And for those who don't know the cigar story, apparently the cigars are so good because they are rolled on the thighs of whores. Again, not something I hope to see.....

Also, still no new camera, so for now the pictures will be done. I mean I can always send old pictures of the kids. Let me know what you all want to see.

So until Saturday, I love you all, I miss you.

2009-09-09T19:49:00.005-05:00

Thought I would share some other, not as awe inspiring photos.

This is a rocky outcropping that I thought looked amazing. This is at Cable Beach

I like this photo because you can see just how clear the water is.

This is a picture of some dead coral. It is at Cable Beach as well. The walls of this beach are all old coral. It is so interesting to look at. You can see all the different types. I will add some more pictures of the coral up close tomorrow.

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Today we had Open House at the kids school. We got a chance to go into their classrooms and see what they do all day. The classrooms are huge, two classrooms are used for each class, so there is plenty of space for the kids. Each of the classes has a library the kids get to use as well bathrooms and fridges. The kids get snack everyday as well as a chance to go to centers and do something they really love. For Adam he said he always picks the legos and Madie loves the math as well as the science centers. Needless to say they are really enjoying school. It is totally different than Thouroghgood. Madie really struggled to get some of the concepts and get reading under her belt. This year seems like a breeze compared to last year. She is thriving in this environment that is for sure. Adam, I have no clue what they do everyday and if he is learning. He is not exactly a font of information. I have volunteered to help his class so maybe I will see what he does there all day. He is definitely not getting his little butt kicked by the assignments like Madie was last year. That said the assignments are nothing like they were for last year. I keep waiting for it to get more challenging for them, but it hasn't so far. Which leads me to believe there really was a reason that VaBeach schools were rated 6th in the nation. I have to say I kinda wish we were still there. It kicked their butts but talk about an education.

We also met some new friends at the library today. I have been invited for the morning coffee at Lori's house on Tuesdays. My first play date, can't wait....

Until tomorrow, I send my love to you all

2009-09-08T15:07:00.003-05:00

Since it is such a slow day for us today I thought I would share some of the less glamorous side of the life here.

This is a picture of the commissary and Navy Exchange. It is small like Walmart before it got Supersized. The building has a courtyard in the middle and the banks a Subway and a few other little store line the outsides.

This is a picture of the bowling alley, the teen hang out spot, and famous military restaurant conglomerate. All housed in one oddly shaped building

This is our everyday restaurant, Windjammer.
The food is okay, what you would find if you ate at say a Petro station, well maybe not that good. It is decent, just not great. The Windjammer is also home to Pizza Hut, they are the same restaurant, you either order off the Jammer menu or you have pizza. This is also where most of the balls happen and there is an Irish Pub located inside.

No wasted space in GTMO. Like I said very surreal.

So today it looks like the garage they have been making out of our carport may be finished, yippee. I also just heard people talking on the other side of the wall, so maybe we will be getting duplex neighbors soon. Alan said that the Chaplain that was living there left the weekend before we got here.

And that my friends is all I have for today. I send you my love...

2009-09-07T21:16:00.002-05:00

Our kids showing off the GTMO Special

Notice the nice checkered taxi effects.....NICE!!

GTMO craft fair

2009-09-07T20:36:00.005-05:00

Okay so National holidays are huge here. They really go all out. We had a craft fair, jazz fest, car show, swimming, and a triathlon all this evening. So we loaded up our "GTMO Special" car with water and water shoes and headed down to the festivities.

We got to Ferry Landing just as things got started. The craft fair was a huge success it looked like. One of our new friends Chris and her friend Christine were selling Cuban tiles they have found and cleaned up. The tiles are thick, like an inch and were made over a hundred years ago. The girls are finding the tiles all over the base and then are cleaning them up and framing them. Very original and money makers. I am hoping to get one soon, but as they are pretty expensive, I am waiting. Maybe I can just convince her to take me with her on one of her explorations.
Also at the fair was sea glass jewelry by the bucketfuls. And while I want to learn how to make jewelry out of sea glass I am not aiming at selling it. I did get some good ideas for things I want to make though. There was also pottery and ceramics, as there is a pottery/ceramics shop here and you can go create.

But what really got me was that there were no purses. NOT A SINGLE ONE. There were crocheted things, but nothing sewn. Nothing like what I can do. So now I am anxiously awaiting our house hold goods so that I can get sewing. There are about six to seven craft fairs a year and if I am the only one offering a certain service then maybe I can make some money. For all of you who didn't know, right before we left TX I made a crap load of purses and tried to sell them at craft shows, but everyone had purses, so I sold a whole two out of fifty and I had spent upwards of $500 just to get them made. So discouraged and mad I put them away. BUT now I may actually get to make them for a profit. Keep your fingers crossed.
So after the craft fair we went to Glass Beach. Glass Beach is a little out cropping of boulders that just has a ton, no an ass load of sea glass. Seriously, it is everywhere. There are of course rare colors as well as more common colors. Anyway, we all went glass hunting and came back with quiet a bit of glass. I mean we could go with a huge bag and spend about two hours and have more glass than we would know what to do with. At any rate we found some gorgeous glass and even some really beautiful rocks. Be expecting something made out of sea glass for Christmas my friends. In fact we didn't bring our Christmas ornaments. We put them in storage so that we could spend our three years here making home made ornaments and we are going to be starting with sea glass ornaments.

Now the rest of the family is asleep and I am enjoying some quiet. So I am off to spend some time by myself but before I do, I am leaving you with this.

While Alan was here without us he came to the realization that we needed to have a car. That walking everywhere, while being good for us, was not an option. He has to make a trip out to the JTF facility at least once a week, and that was just too far to think about walking to. At any rate he had to purchase a car. For all of you who don't know the money situation has been more than tight with us since joining the Navy. So he and I talked about the amount we could feasibly afford and armed with a whopping $2000 budget he went out to look for a car. Well here in GTMO they have what they call GTMO Specials. So he got us a good ole Gtmo Special. He called and told me about it before we got here and I showed the kids a picture of what a Ford Escort should look like, and can I say the "special" looks lots better than some we have seen. Needless to say the kids were not happy at the NEW car. Why would they care you ask? This is how the conversation went when we got into the car:

" Mom, what is that smell? Dad there is no button to roll down the window, will you do it for us? Mom, really why does it smell? What do you mean that there is no button to roll the window down? How do you do it? Mom, can you smell that? So I have to roll the window down with this? How does it work? MOM I SAID CAN YOU SMELL THAT?? Dad is this an old fashioned car? Is 1996 old??? Mom this car is GROSS!"

And the best is that after all of this little Maegan pipes up and says that this is a "Fashion Car" Her fashion car and if we could only paint it pink it would be like Yarpay's call in High School Musical.

So we drive our fashion car and I laugh everyday at the antics that arise because of our new wheels. We also inherited a ton of extra crap from the cars previous owners. I have found CD's a CD case full of them, a whole case of paint balls, speakers, shoes, shoe inserts. The list goes on and on. So without further ado here is a picture of our Fashion GTMO Special, as displayed by our kiddos.

Oh and for all the good weight wishes thanks so much and I promise as soon as a new camera is purchased I will get pics of me and Alan included. I sen you all my love

2009-09-06T19:06:00.001-05:00

As you can tell I got the picture thing out of order. Sorry, I have no clue what I am doing as you can tell. It will get better I assure you all.

2009-09-06T18:09:00.005-05:00

This is the hidden beach, called Pebble beach. We had a ball here. We found all kinds of shells, and a ton of sea trash. Lots of bottle caps and chewed up flip flops. I tell you, all the trash ends up here.
This picture is over looking the cliffs by the lighthouse. This is the original reason I had Alan pull off the road. I then got the kids and Alan to pose in front of the crashing part of the cliffs for me. But seriously look at that water!! Never thought I would see this kind of sea in my entire life.

So a few nights ago the moon was full and I had the camera. This is the real GTMO. See all the brown, the hills, the shrubs. I swear I am living in parallel world between Lawton and Cuba.

This a picture of the beach we originally went to before we hiked around and found Pebble beach. This is called Cable Beach. Seriously these are the beaches and we are supposed to just jump right into the water. I haven't exactly built my nerve up as of yet.

Again Cable Beach. That area of land in the back ground is where we decided to hike and off behind that boulder popping out into the sea is Pebble Beach. Again look at that water. Amazing. We could see straight down. No fish whatsoever.

This picture was taken spur of the moment while we were taking an exploratory drive around yesterday. The water here is so blue and clear. I could see all the boulders under the surface that the waves were breaking on. Most of the sea that surrounds our area looks like this.

This is a picture that Adam insisted I take of the sky. He was going on and on about how beautiful the sky was and what wonderful colors God used. The house well it is ours, only in the picture, the side of the duplex that is ours you can't see. Better pics coming

This is Madie on her first day of school at WT Sampson Elementary School

Same for Adam. You can tell he isn't too happy to be going.

Okay that is all for the pictures for tonight. It takes forever for the internet here. It is like dial up back home. It has taken me over an hour to get these few pics downloaded. Which means my laptop is dying.

So tomorrow I will add more. I have a few pictures left to share and then we will be on a picture sharing holding pattern. I did laundry yesterday and threw Alan's shorts into the wash complete with my camera. So it is d-e-a-d DEAD! That said I did go to our NEX and they have an Olympus camera that is water, child, drop, freeze and shock proof. So I think we may be switching brands and going with the Olympus camera. I do plan on snorkeling while here and I would be able to do that with the new camera. So, until we have enough cash enjoy what pictures we have. Until tomorrow, Stay safe you all...

These next few photos are from around the base. Like I said we went on an exploratory adventure yesterday and found all kinds of things. The kids found a real live snail coming out of the ocean and crabs galore. We all discovered that we could really get into the whole hiking thing, especially if our hikes end like yesterdays did with a hidden beach. We of course came to find out that the "hidden" beach is actually called Pebble Beach and everyone knows about it. Oh well it was deserted when we went.

Our First Week and a Half

2009-09-05T16:42:00.003-05:00

So we finally made it to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. GTMO. It seems so surreal, us being here. Can this really be something I said yes to? What was I thinking?

My first thought as the plane lands is, "SHIT!" What have I done. But wait, I look out the plane's window and all I can see is the sea. Only it is unlike the sea I know. It is a blue, green, purple color. Not green or brown. It is absolutely breath taking.

Then we step off the plane and the heat and smell hit me. First of all, GTMO is as hot as Texas in August. Thank GOD I have lost 100+ pounds because I would be miserable. But since I have lost the weight I am actually okay with the heat. Then there is the smell. You know that part of the zoo that is tropical, the birds and the bugs are usually housed somewhere around that part. Anyway, that smell is what GTMO smells like. Alan tells me all of the islands he visited smell the same. It is an odd smell. No cow or horse manure here. No smog, just jungle, well sort of a jungle.

The other thing that I noticed as I was making my way to our new house was the landscape. It is just like the Wichita Mountains, only throw in a palm and banana tree every once in awhile. Okay then we head onto our new digs. Can I just say I was very surpirized and I promise to post pictures soon.

A few days pass we get the kids enrolled in school, the house stocked and things are finally flowing okay. That and we get a chance to spend time with Alan. Then the weekend comes and we go exploring. First we go to a beach called Kittery Beach. It is only about five miles from the house, but since the speed limit on the paved roads is 25mph and the fact that the beach is located down a very dust winding dirt path it takes us about 20 min. But we finally get there. We pull up and sitting to the right of us is a huge Marine lookout tower and signs everywhere that say we can't go beyond the beach, nor can we take pictures of the surroundings, only the beach and sea. More than intimidating. The ocean is literally ten different shades of blue and green and the beach, well the beach is actually rocks and coral of every imaginable size and shape. The "sand" is black. I say sand in the loosest sense as this sand is more like small pebbles.

So we leave Kittery and head to Windmill beach which is supposed to be one of the great beaches. Same thing here. Only no Marine lookout. No instead there are restricted areas everywhere and Camp 4 of the prison is overlooking us. That is right my friends, THE prison. The one Obama wants to close down. Yep it overlooks the sea and Windmill beach. Again there isn't much of a beach. It is mostly rocks and coral. But it is less crashing sea and all, so we get in. The water is not what we expected. It is piss warm. Not luke warm and not hot. It is piss warm. For all those of you who pee in pools you'll know what I mean...

So that was last weekend. The kids started school Monday and can I tell you, it is a bit bizarre to me. Of course I am a mom who pokes her head into everything and needs to be involved. So being told that I really shouldn't come to eat with the kids and that NO they don't need room mothers yet, well it put me off. I was ready to yank them out and home school. But I do want them to meet some little folks and make some friends so I restrained myself and the kids have had a marvelous first week.

Madie was named student of the week for her class and she is in love with her teacher, Mrs. Figueroa. She hails from Puetro Rico. Adam, well he was the one nervous and not happy about starting school. But in true Adam form he knows everyone by sight, forget names, and he has made a tone of friends. In fact he is outside right now playing with "that Brown Boy." It took me three days to figure out that the brown boy's name is Elijah. Needless to say he is thriving.

Maegan and I are starting to get out there. I have made a few connections and I hope that by joining both the cooking and book clubs I will make friends fast. Maegan on the other hand, is stuck. I am hoping that by becoming a member of the PTO(parent teacher organization) I will meet other moms with kids Maeg's age. In the meantime we play our hearts out.

I will post some pictures as soon as I figure it out. Until then enjoy the one picture I loaded. It is a picture of our adventures this morning. This is out at Cable beach. As you can see not much beach but what beauty. I send you all my love....