Mini Updates

I just thought I'd post mini updates as we start our journey back East. We are getting ready to spend our last night in the hotel in Washington before we start out tomorrow morning for our drive. At dinner tonight MJ lost his second tooth completing the gap on the bottom. It won't be for long though as the new tooth from the first one he lost is peeking through.

As excited as I am to come home I must say I allowed my roots to travel a little deeper here than I had intended. I guess that's what happens when you meet so many great people. I have made some great friends here that I will miss. I will also miss the crisp air, view of the mountains and water, Mt. Rainier, evergreens, and much more. Washington state isn't one that was ever really on my list to visit but it sure is on my list to revisit!

More to come!

Annabelle says Thank you!

Ok, so I know this is totally tacky, but so is not sending anything for which I am guilty as well. But I wanted everyone to know how much Annabelle enjoyed her birthday so I thought I'd post a little of it here. If I wait, I'll forget and I just don't have time right now with the move coming up to do formal thank you cards.

So, Karla, thank you so much for remembering Annabelle. The outfits are adorable. She has already worn the flower one and declared that it was pretty! We love them.
Carol, Annabelle really enjoyed the musical card. She played with it for a long time. Thank you for sending it to her.
Ken, Tracy, Jake, Zane, Drew...thank you for the adorable outfit for her dolls. I think it may be a little loose fitting because the doll still manages to be naked all the time...humm... :)
And thank you guys also for the weaponless Abby! As you can see Annabelle was thrilled! She carries her around all over the place. It really was perfect!

Is it just me or does she kind of look like Cinderella after the step sisters got to her? Hahaha! Mom, Dad, this is adorable. And she wears her streetwalker shoes all the time. We have to fight her not to wear them to the go on errands!I had a really cute one of her in the blanket but my computer/camera was acting up and some random pics didn't transfer and I formatted the card before I realized it. But she loves the blanket. Even in the heat she insists on pulling it up to her chin. It's super cute.
Here she is talking to you guys about her gifts and her day.
And I'm sorry but Brian and Dawn, I don't have a picture of her opening your gift but she really enjoyed getting mail! We'll take her to Barnes and Noble soon. She is a book lover. As a matter of fact the other day I was sitting with her on the couch and in her cute little voice, nodding her head looking at me she said, "How bout book?" My cue to read to her! She'll love being able to pick something out.

So here are some images from the rest of her "party."

She had just woken up to discover the dining room with a party atmosphere including balloons and an Abby Cadabby birthday table cloth. Look how big her eyes are!

Enjoying a crab claw, even if in an unconventional way!
Mike, needing to spend more time in the gym, wrestles with the claw...he should go on Deadliest Catch!
All for me?




She actually blew them out all on one breath and with no spit! Impressive.

Getting her MP3 player. I know, what 2 year old needs an MP3 player but she LOVES it!

Annabelle unwrapping MJ's gift to her in his homemade gift wrap.

Here's what he gave her. It's a nursery rhyme we found in a book I read to him at night. He drew a picture of sunshine, sky, grass and flowers and then traced his hand and we traced Annabelle's hand on it. Isn't it adorable?

Washington trip, people pictures

So it seems as though as soon as I feel I'm catching up on the blog I have more to blog about. I just finished uploading Annabelle's birthday pictures but couldn't blog those before I did this. So, without further delay, here are some people pictures from our trip around Washington.

Oh wait, one delay. I forgot to post these the other day. MJ has been looking forward to shaving with Mike because Annabelle and I had painted toenails and he wasn't allowed to participate. As I type this I realize Annabelle's participation in this was slightly unfair but MJ never questioned it so all is well. Anyway, just thought these images were adorable!

This was the beach at Ft. Worden in Port Townsend.





And this is North Beach where we went beach glass hunting. At one point I saw a bald eagle sitting on a rock on the beach at low tide. Unfortunately that time I didn't have my camera with me. But it was a beautiful place.


The kids, tucked nicely into their queen sized bed. Getting ready for a peaceful night's sleep.

The kids, 3 minutes later, laughing, singing and wrestling...it's no wonder since we've been home they've been sleeping till noon!

MJ swimming in the pool in Port Angeles.

And of course the kids get thrown, that's what Dads are for, right?
This picture cracked me up. I have a close up of her face right below this one.

Annabelle taking a swim.
Our self portrait on Hurricane ridge.

Our self portrait on Ruby Beach on the coast of Washington.
I think this is a new favorite picture of mine. I love it.

Still on Ruby Beach

Kids in a tree in Hoh Rainforest.
Sitting on a bench outside of our cabin in Kalaloche enjoying the morning.
Kalaloche beach

And the drive home.

I have tons more but I just can't post them all. If I come across some really good ones I will post more. But for now that's it. It's 9:22am, both kids are sleeping, and my stupid coffee maker makes so much noise I'm afraid to enjoy a cup and risk waking them up.

Oh, a quick funny. Yesterday was the Hail and Farewell (basically welcoming new people to the command and saying goodbye to people who are leaving). While we were all gathered in a room and the Admiral was talking about one of the guys, Annabelle not so discretely raised her arm up and told me to "smell it." Nothing like a request to smell an armpit during the speaking portion of a work party. Nice timing Belly!

Bye Bye Baby Mullet

Annabelle got her first haircut and was an angel. She didn't fuss, or complain. Just sat playing with a toy watching Elmo. I have little time to post so it will just be a picture series. Enjoy the photos of my little beauty, or as I like to call her, Little Miss Sassy Pants.