Friday, June 25, 2010

Birthday Bash -- Sunday!!!

We now have a MOUNTAIN CLIMBER! Well, at least a stair climber! She climbs all the way up the stairs like it is nothing!

This morning we had the girls dr. appointments and here are the stats:

Destiny: 3 years old : 37.1 inches : 28 lb 6 oz
Addison: 1 year old : 23.1 inches : 19 lb 5 oz

I had to take a pic of the teeny-tiny arm cuff! Destiny was a pretty good girl.

After the appointment we buzzed over to a friend's house and saw her sweet baby. We had a great visit and destiny loved the baby.

Here's your BIG REMINDER: The big birthday bash is on SUNDAY! Hope to see you all there!



Looking forward to the weekend! My sister and her fiance are on their way! I am so excited to see them! Can't wait for a great weekend!
Enjoy today!





Wednesday, June 23, 2010

WYO - 2010

Our vacation to Wyoming (and the states in between) has come to an end, though in some ways I am still in vacation mode. I feel like I have done more laundry in the last day than ever possible!

We had a great trip and here are some pictures to prove it!

The girls traveled so well. Destiny is really interested in looking out the window and asking, "What's that?" Addi spent much of the ride sleeping!

Our drive started out great and suddenly the interstate closed in Oregon. (There had been multiple car accidents so they just decided to close the whole road!) So we took an "alternate route" following our GPS.

We found ourselves in a cattle drive, which was really fun! One of the cowboys told us, "Just drive on through, they won't kick your rig too bad." Destiny loved the excitement and Dusty wanted to get out and help the other dogs with the herd.


As we were driving, GPS lead us to a "Y" in the road, both options were dirt roads. We decided to trust the GPS and went with it. It was a bumpy and nerve wracking 1.5 hours, but we got to see the back country of Oregon and stayed on schedule!

We finally arrived in Little America, WY. If you ever get a chance to stay there, take it! It was a really fun place to stay. It has a lot of character and charm. It was built in the 1940s and has not had many updates but has been up kept really well. The girls loved on Dusty a little bit before we hit the road again!

Only in Wyoming!!! Thought this was funny so I had to take a pic. It was sitting outside of a gas station that we gassed up at.

The first official stop on our trip was at Matt's brother's house near Denver, Co. We had a great BBQ in the evening. The girls loved playing with Aunt Becky and Uncle Terry and even Uncle Vic joined in on the fun. (This was my first time meeting Matt's brother Vic; I would tease Matt saying, "Vic doesn't exist!") Dusty got to play with the doggies there too! It was a wonderful stop!

Next stop! Right in Denver we stopped to visit Matt's Aunt Nancy and her husband Ron and Theresa. Here's a pic of Theresa playing with Destiny! It was sure great to see Theresa again. We hadn't seen her since our wedding!

Aunt Nancy had the cutest little chairs for the girlies to sit on and huge birthday gifts for them to open!

Out in Aunt Nancy's beautiful garden, Addi got her first taste of BIRTHDAY CAKE! yum! She dove right in!

This picture says it all! It was such a blast!

Destiny dove right in too! YUMMY!

Destiny playing with the little house in Aunt Nancy's yard! She loved it! Boy was it warm out though!

Finally we reached our destination: Wheatland, WY. This is Grandma Sally's vineyard. The pups were enjoying the sunshine!

Addi found a stump just her size by the storage units on Sally's property! What a cutie!
During this photo op, Destiny was off riding the tractor! She still is talking about her tractor ride!

Auntie Sam helped Destiny pet the horses!

Matt and Addi on the "not-so-mechanical bull"!

Baxter found a comfy seat in the barn! It was fun walking through the barn and seeing glimpses of Matt's past.

Destiny and Grandma Sally were having fun bumping shoulders at pizza hut!

2nd birthday celebration at Great Grandpa and Great Grandma's house! Destiny loved the toy story cupcakes and did a great job blowing out the candle!
Grandpa and Grandma were wonderful hosts. We love staying with them! This time around Grandma let me help in the kitchen. She taught me a few new recipes that I am looking forward to making on my own.

Dusty, Matt, Destiny, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa enjoy some sunshine on a nice day.

HA! As we drove home, we saw this and I didn't want to miss out on a fun photo! Addi really liked the dino!

And here we are folks...SEATTLE! This is the view I had from our vehicle waiting to get on the ferry boat. Destiny was so excited to be back in Seattle, every large town we drove through she would yell, "SEATTLE!"

Yesterday the girls and I took the opportunity to enjoy some time in the water fountains by our old house. Addi loved crawling around and playing with the landscaping bark. Destiny met up with a friend from Sunday School and had so much fun playing with him. She may even be in the newspaper today; there was a man there photographing for the paper.
On the agenda today: Finger painting with cousin Jordi! We are gonna have so much fun!
Enjoy today!








Sunday, June 13, 2010

Outta Sight...Outta Mind

Helloooooo Everybody!

This weekend has been great! We had a great dinner with friends last night and spent today cleaning up and packing for our upcoming trip to Colorado and Wyoming...I am so excited to attend Matt's 10 year reunion and visit so much of his family! The blog will most likely be out of commission for the next week or so. I'll be back atcha with some great pics of WY and CO.

So I guess I never really posted a pic of our old house....so here it is! Destiny would call it "us pink house" every time we drove up to it! She still talks about things at "us house".

So, Matt and I were talking in the car yesterday and we agreed that we have not spent much time thinking about our "old" house. I thought I will feel a bit depressed over the whole situation, but I feel happy and excited. I am happy we no longer will have the burden of caring for an older home.

I do avoid driving by it when I am in the neighborhood (which isn't often). I think it would be strange to see some one altering the house we worked so hard on, not that I would be bitter or hurt over it. I do realize our house will forever have projects and changes that need to be done, but it would be difficult for me to see a total transformation of it.

With that said, I am so excited for the buyer of the house. He has a cute home, great neighbors, and we fixed the majority of the BIG problems prior to him moving it...he's a lucky duck!

I thought I would be anxious about letting it go, but I think much of my anxiousness is at ease because I have such a wonderful place to stay. I mean, who wouldn't want to live with their best friend, right!?!?!

Well, I'm off to bed..Dest has pre-school in the morning so it's a long drive to Bremerton. Addi and I will run errands and Dusty will chill at the house with her bff Emmie! ha!

Enjoy today!
Jill

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Like the new BANNER?!

Thanks to the AMAZING, WONDERFUL, SUPER-COOL NICK, I have a new banner! It is everything I could have ever wanted in a banner. I struggled so much just posting the picture of the boomerang and he made this banner in no time flat! He is AMAZING! THANK YOU!!!

Yesterday was an on-the-go type of day! You'll have to turn your head side-ways to see this first picture...it posted funny and I am struggling fixing it...I was at the hospital waiting for my appointment while they raised the flag. Here is a pic of all the men/women standing during the star spangled banner. I started my day off on a patriotic note!


The day continued in a patriotic fashion. As Destiny was on a play date with her buddy Holden (the little boy I used to nanny), Addi and I joined Matt for his command picnic. Here's a pic of Addi (right before she put the rock in her mouth) at Trident Lakes on Bangor Base.
Here are all the guys gathered for a little ceremony. This will be my last command picnic...and I'm not too sad about that! ;)

Here is Destiny, Auntie Lili and her picked some pretty roses to be displayed in the house. This yard is seriously amazing...I love all the roses!



Dusty loves hanging out on the deck here.
In the afternoon we had the opportunity to watch my cousin's kids (we had a sleep over!). This is us on a stroll over to a field to play in. It was a great time to get all the energy out before bed time. Mac and Jordi are so much fun! Mac is so helpful with baby Addi and Jordi and Destiny are two peas in a pod!

Two little monkeys swinging away!
A game of tag broke out...that really wore everyone out for the night! By the end, Mac was telling me to feel his face and guess what temp. he was! ha!




We ended the night with popcorn and The Upside Down Show! Great night!
This morning we had pancakes and blueberries and now we are relaxing! Addi cut a new tooth last night so mommy and daddy are VERY tired! I see a shopping trip and the farmer's market in our future today...should be a good one!
Enjoy today!
Jill

Friday, June 11, 2010

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Hi!

Yesterday was a super lazy day! I loved it! I got up and did my INSANITY workout with my cousin Lili...we sweat our booties off together! :) Then we had a very relaxing day! The girls and I hung out at home all day and enjoyed it so much! We even had cousin Jordi over for a play date! What a blast!

Here's a pic of the beautiful bouquet Destiny picked me a couple days ago!


Here's a pic of the BEST B-DAY party EVER! My cousin's son, Mac turned 10! What a fun party!
Someone taught Destiny and Jordi to put frosting on their noses...hmmm....I wonder who that was!


Destiny and Jori had so much fun playing yesterday morning! The first thing they do when the see each other is embrace with a BIG hug!



I have quite the to-do list today...
yoga - check
get the girls up
dr. appointment
destiny has a play date
command picnic (mandatory fun!)
having a pizza party with Mac and Jordi
hopefully squeezing in some INSANITY!
Enjoy today!
Jill

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Bye Bye House

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am happily no longer a home owner!! What a relief! Here is a picture of my empty house! I still love those wood floors, but now they are there for someone else to enjoy!

I suppose some of you are wondering what our housing will be like in Australia. From what I understand, we are provided housing through the U.S. Embassy. It is likely that we will be housed in new construction in a suburb. Anyways, after owning an older home (1930) I would be so happy to have a brand new home. I swear I was constantly cleaning up 80 year old cobwebs in the basement! ha!

The girls enjoying some blueberries, bananas and crackers for breakfast on the living room floor! It was difficult living without furniture, but it really made me realize how fortunate we are to have all of the things we have. Sleeping on the floor isn't so bad for a few nights. Some people sleep on the hard, cold ground night after night.
This is all that was left and it fit into our Durango. We will be supplied through the summer with all of this and hopefully the airlines will let us check it all! ha! We'll probably end up mailing a package or two!



Here is the few of the mountains from our house. I'll miss you, mountains!

Dusty's last day in our backyard. Dusty loved to be the protector of our yard. She would sound off anytime someone walked down the alley. I am going to miss how Dusty would sit on the steps...she sits like a human, on her bum, with her legs out in front of her!


Yesterday, after signing paperwork for the house, we found an awesome bakery in Gig Harbor. They served the best sandwiches! Yum! Not only was it a great bakery, but also it was attached to a huge shopping center with stores that I actually LOVE! It was a fun day. After our unfruitful shopping spree (I can't buy anything because I would have to move or ship it), we headed over to Lili and Nick's house...We are so blessed by their hospitality. We have a great room that fits all of our stuff and us comfortably! Thanks to Lili and Nick for EVERYTHING!!!
Here is the yard that Dusty and Destiny get to run around in for the next month! Lucky Duckies!


Destiny had preschool again today! I must admit she likes being away from mommy more than mommy likes being away from her! She is growing up so much. Prior to leaving the classroom, I ask Destiny if she is ready for me to leave and she gives me a look like, "I was ready 10 minutes ago"! Ha! I'll get used to it!
This afternoon we are sitting in the sunshine in the beautiful yard (pictured above) and Destiny keeps handing me dandelions I think I have about 10 sitting here with me! She's such a sweetheart!
Addi is off taking a nap. She had a fun day running errands with mommy and even let mommy get in a little session at the gym! I got to ride a spin bike for a while. It was fun because I have spent the last 3 weeks doing INSANITY workouts. It was a nice break from INSANITY!
This evening we have a b-day party to attend and then it's off to bed and tomorrow morning will be a busy one!
Enjoy today!
Jill




Monday, June 7, 2010

a beginning and an end

Today has been a tad emotional for me. At moments I have felt like busting out in loud cries and tears...demonstrated by Addi in the picture below. ha!


Here is the end of my beautiful roses in my beautiful front yard...that after tomorrow will no longer be mine. I find myself getting sentimental over silly things...and not so silly things. It tugged at my heart when Matt gave the girls their LAST bath in this house. Silly as it my be, I found myself sad at the LAST time vacuuming and the LAST time setting out the trash to be collected. I think tomorrow will be especially difficult as I make the LAST turn of the key.
Here are the movers...I think we ended up with the movers who were prison release workers and/or people with disabilities. Anyways, it was a "different" bunch to say the least! The moving process seemed to never end. They even packed some of our belongings that were not supposed to be packed. We now realize how much of a blessing our first moving crew was. They did a great job packing us out to Australia.

THE BEGINNING!!! Destiny started preschool today at the sycamore tree preschool. She loved every second of it! She was used to the school and teachers because this is where we have dropped off/picked up the boy I used to nanny.




Destiny jumped right in and started to paint with her teacher, Miss Brown. The whole way home from school Destiny told me all about her day. When I picked her up, she said, "you came back!" haha!


Here it is folks...our empty house. I'm too emotional to write much more...plus Matt has some yummy dessert waiting for me. Let's celebrate! Wine down! We are on to bigger and better!

Enjoy today!
Jill