Christmas Day 2009

Christmas Eve

Okinawa Zoo Chrismas Light Fesitival

The night before Christmas, our friends the Torres's and ourselves headed out to the zoo. THe girls and I had seen this exhibit last year but we wanted Robbie to see it this year. The girls had fun looking at the animals and then playing in the snow. After the snow, they did a light show with lasers. It was a little weird because it wasn't all christmas music - it included music from Pirates of the Carribean and Michael Jackson. Oh well, you never know what you will get with the Japanese!!! We had fun and that's all that matters!

Christmas Traditions

I know that I have been slack with posting. Each time I think that I am going to get better we get busier. Anyways, here's to an upcoming new year and better postings :)

On Saturday, we had our annual cookie baking day. Every year, as my mom did with me, I bake cookies with Gabbie and now Lulu. Typically, we only invite one friend but this year we invited two. The girls had fun baking the cookies although with 4 batches of dough, they left me high and dry at the end. As you can see in the pictures, Robbie and our friend Joe took care of decorating the rest.

Afterwards, we made dinner for the kids and we hung out with friends. Overall, it was a fun day...more fun days to come now that Robbie is on vacation till the new year!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Thankful

As Thanksgiving approaches, I have been thinking a lot about what I am thankful for. Last year this time, I had a lot of anomosity towards this island and the Marine Corps. I couldn't deal with the fact that as a family we had moved half way around the world and now Robbie was going to be gone for 10 of the first 14 months we had been here. It's amazing what God taught me about myself and strength and comfort in him. I survived teething, cranking nights, being a sick mom, flying back across the world with a 20 month old with no plan and not sure where the next flight was taking me to (and honestly I would do it again in a heartbeat...it was scary but fun). I have begun to look at our stay here through much different eyes than last year this time. The island we are on is beautiful. I have never seen skies as blue as they are here nor have I ever see the clouds pop in those skies the way they do here. I also know that I will never get a pedicure that EVER amounts to the ones I get here. Especially for the money. (I know it's a very wordly thing but if you got a pedicure here - you would be grateful for the samething...trust me - the states will never amount to it) And while there are a lot of negatives, being here has allowed our family to appreciate the things that we have back in the states and from now on maybe we can be a bit more grateful. There are going to be more deployments in our short future here and whether they be short or long, I am going to try to make the best of our 18 months we have left on this island. To see as much as I can and to appreciate the small things in life. Please enjoy a few of our pictures below from a recent photoshoot we did. You can see how beautiful this place can be.

Happy 234th Birthday Marine Corps

Happy Birthday to my husband and all the other marines in my life. I am so proud of my husband. I love you honey!!! Thank you for all you do and sacrifice for us. The birthday message this year was so good. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!! It rained at the beginning so the girls got soaked but then they passed out candy and enjoyed themselves!

Terrible Two's

It finally happened. Lulu has thrown tantrums but I have always been able to just stop that quickly. It's never been a huge issue. I have been waiting for the HUGE meltdown tantrum that everyone talks about with the age 2. It happened. Today. This morning she went to play with her friend Tyler. I had some errands to run and my friend Leigha said she would watch her. So I go pick her up and get a great report. She was fine. We get home and it starts. She didn't want to walk upstairs so she cried. I needed to change her diaper before she fell asleep and she didn't want to. She screamed, kicked, cried. Anything she could. Finally after about 5 minutes she just reached up and pulled me down and just held me. It was so sweet but so frustrating. She's just like her father. Hot one minute, cold the next!!! Ugh!! It's going to be a long year!!!

Happy 32nd Birthday Robbie!

Today is Robbie's 32nd Birthday! We are so glad to be together. Last year, he was in Korea. The year before we were together and the year before that he was in Iraq. Needless, when we get a birthday - we like to enjoy it. Even though he had his first full day back to work he got off a little early and we went to dinner. We came home and opened presents - he got a playstation 3 and had some cake! It was a quiet celebration but a nice one!! Happy Birthday Baby!

He's Home!!

After many plane issues and a long 7 months, Robbie finally returned to us today!!! Here are some pictures of his arrival. We are good and just enjoying each others company!! We love and miss all of you and hope to talk to you soon!!