Saturday in the Sun

The weather here on Whidbey Island is finally starting to look and feel like summer!!! The weather today was gorgeous so we made the most of it with....

*Some backyard football......

*Some baby Elliott love.....

*Took in the beautiful scenery we are so blessed to be surrounded by......






*And went to Fort Casey state park where we explored on nature trails, checked out the light house, and played on the beach!

We are L-O-V-I-N-G having Daddy home this summer for the first time since moving here and spending time together as a family!!

A lil Brayden-ism for ya!

I wonder sometimes what i would do if i didn't have my little munchkins to melt my heart and put a smile on my face! The other morning i was at the computer doing my daily morning email check and Brayden and i were talking and this is what he had to say....

Brayden: Mama-Jesus my friend

Me: Thats right baby.....Jesus is the best friend you will ever have

Brayden: uh huh....Jesus like my bubble mower

Me: he does?

Brayden: uh huh...he my friend and he like play with my bubble mower with me

Talk about cute......I love that he is talking so much now and i will forever cherish his completely innocent and pure view of everything in this world! This melted my heart and made me laugh out loud....so stinkin precious!! What a beautiful way to think of our Heavenly Father!

CONGRATULATIONS NUNEZ FAMILY!!!!!

Some very dear friends of ours had their baby boy this morning!!!! I was so blessed to be able to be there and experience the birth of their beautiful baby! There just aren't words to describe the true miracle that pregnancy and child birth are and i am honored that they wanted me to be there with them! Elliott Omar Nunez was born at 8:51 this morning and is absolutely precious with a full head of hair and the sweetest little cheeks!! Crystal was such a champ.....she was already fully dilated when she got to the hospital....YIKES....she handled everything so well and both Mommy and baby are healthy and happy! Big brother Isaac and big sister Madilyne are very excited to welcome their baby brother to the family and Elliott is so blessed to be joining such an amazing family! Congratulations Crystal and Edgar.....enjoy your new little blessing!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well.....it has been a rough month and i could sit here and make excuses for why i let my weight loss goals slip but i'm not going to. I lost focus and let life get the best of me and didn't do well at all. I don't have exact numbers for you because when i finally decided to face the music and get weighed and measured the trainer wanted to wait until next week. (that wonderful week every month that we all love so much....'nuff said) I did get on the scale even though my trainer told me not to and my weight was at 190 so i was up 5 lbs from the last time i posted and 1 3/4 lbs from my last official weigh in. Could be worse and i have re-focused and will post measurements for you next week. Thank you Erin C. for asking about my WLW posts......i needed the extra push to get back on track! Better days to come in my weight loss journey!!!

This made me laugh......too funny!! If only it were that easy......

Pictures

So...things have been a little crazy around here the last few days and i haven't had much time, energy or motivation to post! We are having a HUGE garage sale tomorrow with some friends and we have really been working hard to make sure we get rid of EVERYTHING we don't want or need! With a big move coming in a few months i am determined to move ONLY what we actually want and need! Needless to say, we've been super busy! So i thought i would at least post a few fun pictures for everyone to enjoy!!

The Miculka's!

I *heart* these 3 guys.....

Good Season Blue Lightning!!

Enjoying the sunshine and some ice cream!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Bye Bye Baby........Hello Big Boy!

Brayden has done so much growing up in the last couple of weeks! It has all happened so suddenly and that is a good thing but man....it has really hit me the last couple of days that he is growing up FAST! He is going pee pee on the potty and did that completely on his own! He just started telling us one day that he needed to go potty and we took him and he went.....and the rest is history. I wouldn't go as far as to say he is potty trained but he is working on it and since he started it completely on his own we are letting him go at his own pace....not pressuring but encouraging and always ready to RUN to the potty! =)

And another big step.....Brayden said bye bye to the binky!!!! Anyone who has spent any time around him knows how strong his attachment to the binky has always been so letting go of it was something i just haven't looked forward to! But to my surprise he has done so well! We have been talking to him for about a month now about giving his binky's to the binky fairy and he decided (with a little encouragement of course) at his birthday party when we were releasing all of the balloons at the end that he would tie his binky to a couple of them and let it go to the binky fairy! I was unsure of how things would go but i wasn't going to tell him no! I felt so unprepared.....so not ready.....i was actually sad as i watched it float higher and higher. That binky represented my baby being a baby and i felt as though i was watching the "baby" float away and watching a little boy emerge! We have made it 2 nights without it now....the first was a little rough! Lots of crying...lots of comforting and not very much sleep for Mom and Dad but last night he went to sleep without asking for it and slept through the night! So with many fond memories i bid farewell to the baby and toddler years and with open arms i am welcoming the preschool and lil boy years!

About to let it go......

Bye bye binky!

Surfin USA!!

The boys had a surfin' birthday party yesterday and we all had a great time!! As always with a big party there was a lot of work to get ready so i was very thankful to have John home(for the first birthdays in 3 years) and to have Meemi (my grandma) here to help! We had about 19 kids there including the birthday boys and the weather was gorgeous...couldn't have asked for better! The party was at a waterfront park with a playground and spacious building for eating and opening gifts. Things were hectic so i know there were things i missed getting pictures of but i did manage to take quite a few!

Brayden and his buddy Annabelle

Grumpy Brayden and his lil friend Jack


Me and a few of the mom's at the party were talking yesterday about how it always seems that the birthday child gets so worked up with anticipation before the party that it is just too much when the party actually happens and they tend to be the one child crying at the party! "It's my party and i'll cry if i want to......" was Brayden's theme song yesterday! It all started when he fell down and skinned his knee pretty badly and went downhill from there! We tried everything to help him settle down and it became apparent that he just needed to get away from all the excitement for a while so Daddy took him for a drive, and of course he fell asleep. SOOO...Brayden slept through most of his "happy birday party"! =( Poor buddy.... we saved his cake and presents and did them with him when we got home.

Just after getting his boo boo.....eating some pizza

quick pic w/ the cake before heading out w/ Daddy

this is Brayden during the party!

blowing out the candle at home!

opening Brayden's presents at home

Colby and his buddies from soccer, school and church all had a great time! They ran, played on the playground, explored, enjoyed the pinata, got dirty and just plain had a good ole time! I loved seeing the pure joy on his face just being a boy and having fun!

Ethan, Colby & Jack

Colby's cake

About to cut the cake!

Colby taking a swing at the pinata

Colby opening gifts


Each of the boys got a big surprise gift this year that John and I along with some of their grandparents all pitched in on!! Colby has been saving every dime he can to buy a nintendo ds, so he was beyond excited when he opened his...you guessed it.....nintendo ds!!!! He did have to use his own saved money for a game which we took him to get after the party! Brayden came home to find his big surprise waiting...a new ride on power motorcycle!!!! Brayden LOVES "motokicles".....LOVES them. And he loves HIS motorcycle!

Brayden on his new motorcycle

Colby realizing what he just opened!

All in all it was a great afternoon with lots of wonderful memories made as a family! We were blessed to get to spend time with lots of our friends and even some out of town family and we were very excited to get to share birthday festivities with Daddy for the first time in a long time!!!

Change of Command

We had the opportunity to attend the Change of Command ceremony for hubby's command yesterday and what a blessing it was! This ceremony marks the official passing of the responsibility, authority, and accountability of command from one officer to another. It is a ceremony rich in Naval tradition and it was truly an honor to be there. Hubby was quite the hottie in his dress white uniform and was also honored to be part of the ceremony! There just aren't words to describe the pride that consumed me as i stood listening to the bagpipes play and the chorus sing our national anthem, surrounded by Navy personnel in their dress uniforms standing at attention and saluting the flag that they so willingly sacrifice so much to defend.



I've had the opportunity to serve the now former commanding officer and the entire command as the ombudsman for the last year and a half! It has been both challenging and rewarding but above all it was an honor to serve. The ombudsman is an official volunteer that serves as a liaison between the commanding officer and the families in the command. I went into the position with the goal of assisting families and making the hardships of deployment and the military lifestyle easier in any way i could. I feel blessed that i was indeed able to achieve this goal and will never forget the wealth of experience i have gained thru this position. I was very touched when the outgoing commanding officer presented me with gorgeous flowers and a very sweet thank you message during the ceremony yesterday. He is an amazing man and an inspirational leader and will be very missed. I am a better woman today for the time i had to serve alongside him!

Last night Hubby and I had the pleasure of attending a reception with friends and lots of our "Navy" family put on by the new commanding officer. It was a fun evening out and we truly enjoyed ourselves!!

Yesterday's ceremony was yet another reminder of what an awesome blessing it is to be married to a US Sailor and i was truly touched and forever changed by the emotions i experienced!

GNO

Girls Night Out.....a girls best friend!! Friday night was girls night out for me and we had a great time! I have been so incredibly blessed with amazing friends in abundance while living here and a few of them were able to join in the fun friday night. These women are some of the best friends anyone could have! Living this military lifestyle there are of course so many trials but wow.....i wouldn't trade the friendships i've made here for anything!! God will provide and he has certainly provided friendships that have carried me through tough times on more than one occasion! Sarah, Ash & Crystal.....i am so grateful for your friendship! You are amazing women and i couldn't ask for better sisters from another Mr.!!!!

Crystal & Me (and Baby E who will make his debut soon!!)

Aubs, Crystal, Ash & Sarah

Being silly waiting for the movie to start!

"A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope."

Happiest Birthday....

Brayden!!!!!

I cannot believe you are already 3 years old!!! You are growing so fast and changing so much. Sometimes it feels as though i blink and you are saying or doing something new! You are so much fun lil man......and you are so much like me it is scary sometimes! You are strong willed, determined, loving, sweet, helpful, funny, witty and just plain adorable! You are the kiddo that as Mommy is trying to correct and discipline everyone else is turning away and giggling. You are the kiddo that when you want something you WILL get it regardless of what it takes. You say the sweetest little prayers and sing the cutest little songs. You adore your big brother. You love to be outside and if there is a speck of dirt anywhere near you, then you will end up wearing it! You are truly all boy and i love it!

Such a cutie!

after picking strawberries....

Look at me go Mom....

Messy boy

It has been such a pleasure to watch you grow and learn! I pray that as your Mommy I can continually guide you, teach you, and be an example for you. I am so excited to continue to watch you grow to be the man that God would have you be!

look what i did!

2nd bday and in love w/the cake!

Cruisin' on Papa's boat!

Happy Happy Birthday Brayden James!!

3 yrs old w/ an unforgettable "cheese" grin! =)

Happy Birthday to you.....

Happy Birthday dear Colby....Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!

Colby is 7 today....7 stinkin' years old! Where has the time gone? He is growing up so fast and i am just having a hard time digesting the fact that he is already 7! What an amazing 7 years it has been......life hasn't always been easy but Colby has brought a ray of light into my life that makes any trial a lil bit easier to get through.

Where did those cheeks go??

Mommy & Daddy's wedding!

I'm a big brother!!



Colby Laine....Happiest birthday to you my lil love! It is hard for me to even begin to put into words all the love, hope and dreams i have for you in my heart. I am so blessed by you each and every day. Your love for the Lord is absolutely inspirational.....you are so excited to be a child of God and to share your love for our Savior with anyone you meet! You have such a caring, loving nature about you.....you've never met a stranger and its not hard to see why. You will do anything to put a smile on someone's face, to make someone else's day a little better. The kindness you show to everyone around you is precious. Brayden adores you and what an amazing big brother he is blessed to have! You teach him, you love him, you play with him....you are the best big brother anyone could have! You are so intelligent and your love for learning amazes me!

Preschool Graduation

1st soccer season!

My lil Kinder grad!



Colby, it is my prayer that you continue to grow and learn each and every day. That you will continue to share God's love and to be the example of that love that you are today. Keep on loving life....never lose the caring, kind nature that is you! Thank you for the love and light that you have brought to my life each and every day of the last 7 years! Happiest Birthday my lil man!

first day of 1st grade!

7 years old and missing a tooth!! =)