Just put the loves of my life to bed and wanted to share our...

new word in the house: Hellodoctor- (helicoptor) and those boys LOVE hellodoctors, LOL. They screech, holler, yell and jump up and down uncontrollably when they see or hear one, it's hillarious!

They are talking in full, complete and most importantly UNDERSTANDABLE sentences now. They still mix some words up and don't have everything perfect, but you can get what they are trying to tell you. Even as I sit here and type this I can hear the three of them upstairs having a full blown conversation. I am so lucky to have been given this gift of motherhood, and not just to one little sweetie, but to THREE. I feel so blessed, and so fortunate!

I can't believe the have grown so fast, we are rapidly approaching their 3rd birthday, man how the time fly's!!!

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks, I know I've been slacking a little...

Busy weekend

I had a crazy fun and busy weekend last week and am just now getting around to putting up some pictures (sorry)!

Saturday I had a ladies and kids BBQ at my house, and mark had our little ones so I got to spend some good quality time with my friends and their adorable little ones. I got some sunshine, some adult socialization and some relaxation- all very much needed!!!

Saturday night Lauren, Marina and I went out to a bar in Kirkland for some adult time. A few weeks back I was on duty and volunteered to be DD so Marina kindly returned the favor last weekend. I got a full on (and then some!!!!!!) workout dancing out on the floor with those girls. It was so much fun.

Here are some pictures from the BBQ

2 years ago today...

5 little ducks

Please forgive the quality, for it was taken from the video camera on my phone. Ryland sang this song to me the whole way home this afternoon, it was too adorable not to catch on tape!!!

Marysville Strawberry Festival

We spent Saturday afternoon and evening at the Strawberry Festival's parade on State Ave. The kids had a great time, and the boys just couldn't get enough singing and dancing. Cassie spent the evening cuddled in Holly's arms. Here are a few pictures from the evening

First trip to the beach

Cassie LOVED her first trip to the beach. She was rolling around in the sand and jumping and bouncing like this for over 30 minutes (yes she fell asleep on the way home! LOL). Sunday afternoon I went to the beach with my best friend from junior high, Lauren and her daughter Briana. We met up there with some other friends, Rene, and Gaston and his son Daven. It was an overcast day but still very warm and was actually just perfect because nobody was uncomfortably hot or cold.

Ryland is a brave little one, he waded out up to his waist in the FREEZING water before I went out there to get him, silly guy wanted to go out even further.

Cassie spent most of her time rolling around in the sand and picking flowers for me- she is SUCH a girl! She let her feet touch the water a few times but wasn't really too keen on it.

Tristan did a lot of venturing around and out as far as he could before someone would call him back. He was also very interested in all the driftwood on the shore. He kept finding sticks and bringing them to me- funny little man!

We took a picnic lunch and ate there on the Alki beach. Grass might have been a better selection (there was a huge patch to the left of us), cause I'm sure we all ate our fair share of sand, I KNOW the kids did. Oh well..... So here are some pictures

My Nudist Colony

Although I can argue I'm not running one, the photos seem to prove otherwise. I cannot seem to keep clothes on these children. The minute we get home everyday their clothes come off and into the backyard they want to go. And I think it all started with the naked potty training, that I will never recommend to another mother for fear of her children becoming naked fans too.

I've tried to cover body parts the best that I can, and hopefully nobody finds them offensive but I can't seem to get pictures of them outside WITH clothes on, so you'll just have to live with these.

HM2 Raysbrook

That's right, I made 2nd class this time around. Too bad I'll be out before I see that nice E5 paycheck, but I can enjoy the new priviledges that come with being a second!!!

I was on leave two weeks ago during the big official frocking ceremony, as was another one of my shipmates, so he and I got our own little frocking ceremony (special) and....... I got my volunteer service medal that has been in the works since April 2008- you read that right 14 months. Oh well, at least I have it now.

The frocking went well, and I can't thank Heather enough for sewing my 2nd class patches on my unform, or Hillery for the fact that she handed down her 2nd class patch to me...just like they used to do back in the day.

mmmmmmmm french toast

My cousin Lauren and Auntie Judy came up on Sunday to make us brunch and play with the kids. I must say, I've had a LOT of french toast but I've never tasted anything as good as Lauren's, it was absolutely delicious!!!!

After brunch we played outside for a while. It's been too long since we've seen them, I'm so glad they were able to come! We missed you uncle Roy, hope to see you next time!

Memorial weekend BBQ

I had a fantastic time with some of my close friends and friends from work yesterday. The BBQ started at 2pm and people trickled in until about 4:30, which is when Ricky (THANK YOU RICKY!!!) took care of all the BBQing. We had chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs and especially for Josh we had STEAK!!!!!!

There were about 15 kids here (no joke) and they all had a blast playing on the swing set, in the bouncy house that Heather and Joe let us borrow (THANKS!!!) and in the two pools that were set up. My white little kids even got a bit of a tan :).

Things settled down about 6 and a handful of people started heading home, espeically those who had to drive home to Issaquah (thanks Lauren!). we sat outside and just talked and watched the remaining few kids who were here, run around and play. Still playing in the pool at 6pm (FREEZING!) It got to where I had to go upstairs and get sweatshirts for everyone, and then around 8 we all ventured inside. I now have a strong desire to put a fire pit in my backyard and have many more BBQ's (you in dad?!?!?)

Ricky and taylor headed over to Ricky's house to get some board games (because mine are lame, seriously lame!)and we ended up playing battle of the sexes. The girls won!!! Steph and the koza's left about 11pm and Rosemarie, Little Armando, Brooke, David, and chelsey stayed until about 1am.

I had a blast and can't wait to do it again, I'm thinking my birthday weekend I'll do another one.....

Augie's 3rd birthday party

The kids had a blast on Saturday at their friend Augie's 3rd birthday party. They played for hours in the bouncy house and ran around in the yard. I even caught both boys using trikes and PEDDLING on them instead of using their feet along the ground. Barbara, Augies's mom got a FABULOUS cake from Haggens and I almost ate myself sick.

Here are some pictures from the party:

Please pray for my mom

About a year ago, my mom was diagnosed with sjogrens syndrome, which is a chronic autoimmune disease in which people’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. Today, as many as four million Americans are living with this disease.

Until recently, the only "complication" my mom had from the sjogrens was constant (and annoying and uncomfortable) dry mouth. And she dealt with it well, as uncomfortable as I imagine one would be with a constantaly dry mouth, she never once complained about it and just walked on.

She went into the doctor about 2 months ago complaining of shortness of breath, and when they took her oxygen levels they were only at 80% (96% or higher is normal) and they immediately put her on oxygen. She was also given a cpap machine at night to help with her breating while sleeping.

Needless to say, her oxygen saturations alarmed the doctors and they started running a lot of test on her, EKG, CT, blood draws and a number of other tests I can't recall right now. She was put on some new medications, on of them being the steroid prednisone. Prednisone use can cause a reduction in immunity, which is what happened with my mom this week.

She was taken by ambulance on Friday morning to the hospital and admitted. She woke up feeling horrible and having a harder than normal time breating and was in so much pain that she was yelling for my dad to call 911. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, quite a bad case of it, and they admitted her for IV antibiotics.

I don't know what's next, I don't really understand what all of this means, but I do know that there is likely a LOT more of this sort of thing to come.

So I would ask for those of you who pray, to please add my mom to your prayer list. Please pray for her comfort, as this disease is attacking many aspects of her body; and continued strength to fight all of this. And also for my dad as he watches my mom suffer through all of this and feels hopeless to help her. Please pray for his strength.

thank you...

My little artists

I finally fixed my printer/scanner and was able to scan these this afternoon. I wanted to show them off when I brought them home last Friday but no such luck with the scanner on the fritz. This is what they made for me at school for mothers day.

My 3rd mothers day

The morning started with a trip to IHOP for my mothers day breakfast, courtsey of Mark and the kids. Breakfast was great and the kids enjoyed their usual "mac N cheese" that they always have when we go there (I know, for breakfast?!?!? Yuck!)

Then later tha day, the Koza's, Christine and Zoie Walton, Charles and I decided to go to the zoo for mothers day. We ran into my bestfriend Lauren and her BEAUTIFUL daughter Brianna when we were there, and David met us there to spend the day with us.

I had a great time, the kids were actually a little onry and not on their best behavior, which is a bit unusual because they are usually really good in public, but I can't complain over one day. We ate lunch at the food pavillion (David's treat, Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and got to see a lot of animals. Here are some pictures from the afternoon, it was a wonderful way to spend mothers day surrounded by people I love and care about!

Mom of the Year award

Check out the video, a friend emailed this to me this morning. Brought a HUGE smile to my face! Thanks Robert!!!!!!!!

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=7AEe66neccDWZ8EoO5CfyDEzMjU2Njk3&referred_by=16341456-_xsiGDx&p=moveon


HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all you amazing and wonderful moms!!

Lauren's 4 more years until 30 party

I'll start with pictures this time for something different...


I had an amazingly and incredibly fun weekend with my girlfriends! Lauren, my BFF since 7th grade turned 26 and to celebrate we rented a limo and went wine tasting on Saturday afternoon all around Woodinville. I don't like wine, or at least I didn't until I found 3 bottles I liked (and bought) this weekend, two whites and a red to be exact. I don't drink often, so by the time we were done at the first winery I was already buzzed...it was actually quite comical and the other girls said I was very entertaining...whatever that means!?!?!?!

There were 10 of us and would you believe that there was NO drama all day long? 10 women and NO drama, how often does that happen? My other BFF chelsey was there too, and she and I didn't know any of the other girls except for Lauren. Nothing like a little drinking to break the ice though.

We went to about 5 winery's and then headed back to the Kirkland area. We headed up to TGI Fridays because we still had about an hour before our reservation, and we had more drinks (can you believe that?) and some appetizers to pass the time.

Then we headed to the Purple cafe for more wine and a delicious dinner (steak, medium rare!!!) and spent a few hours there. But all of us were itching for some dancing so as soon as the check was split up between all 16 of us (we had more guests join us for dinner who didn't come for the limo ride) we headed off for a night of partying. Have you ever waited for a check to be split 16 different ways? Might as well order another bottle of wine to pass the time, LOL!

Then we went to good old Valhalla's for 80's night and some booty shaking dancing.

Tulip adventure 2009

I've never been to visit the tulip festival in Washington, can you believe that? So my friend Steve and I went yesterday on a little adventure up north. We had a great time, got to stop for lunch at a small diner and I got to see where he use to live. It was a little bit of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of day, which was a lot of fun since I never get to have them anymore, and the company was good!

I wanted to narrow down one picture that was my favorite, and here it is:


It was a great way to start a fun and busy week!

Lets see what this week holds...tomorrow, Lauren, my bestfriend from 7th grade, turns 26 and we are going wine tasting in a limo this Saturday to celebrate. After visiting the winery we are going to have dinner at the Purple Cafe in Kirkland and then off to some dancing at Valhalla's for 80's night (no we don't dress the part, LOL). I can't wait to get all us girls together again, we do so know how to have a good time.

I'm having coffee with Steve on Thursday morning, but I really have an alterior motive and that is to get my hands on the rest of the tulip photos (No folks, I don't have time to right click and save all 100+ of them....) that he took yesterday. The flowers were beautiful, but he's pretty darn good with the camera!

Then Sunday it's off to the Zoo with Katy and the kids, and I imagine Ricky will tag along too :) That ought to be an adventure, a twin and a triplet stroller...oh boy.

Oh, and this weekend will also entail some studying for my test on Monday. As soon as I figure out what the heck I'm doing I'll start studying. Until then, I'll keep calling Katy for help only to have her tell me she doesn't get it either. Maybe tomorrow at work I'll track down Laura and see if she understands it any better. If all else fails Charles has offered to show us "how it's done" and tonight Steve told me he'd help me if he wasn't in the middle of burning dinner. Thankfully mark stopped by for a few minutes and was kind enough to explain it to me in a manner that made sense. Of course though, as soon as he left, I was confused again with nobody to bounce my questions off off....

that being said, i'm off to bed. Goodnight

Kaleb's 3rd birthday

This video was taken at Kaleb's 3rd birthday party at Jungle Playland in Mount Vernon. This place was amazing and the kids weren't the only ones having fun as you can tell! I ran through quite a few times with the kids and they were having a blast. Thanks Katy and Ricky for inviting us!!!!!!!

2-5 years left....

Pulmonary Hypertension...why do bad things happen to such good people? My mom has been short of breath for a while now, I posted a little bit about this in an earlier blog. She went to the doctor and they ran all sorts of tests on her. The diagnosis is Pulmonary Hypertension and the outlook/survival doesn't look good at all.

Right now they are trying to determine what has caused this. She did smoke in her younger years, but hasn't been a smoker for almost 20 years now. She had an EKG done on monday and the results of that show an abnormality of the heart, and I remember she was trying to explain it to me but I was so overwhelmed with the news that I don't remember everything.

My mom is so scared and I just want to make this all go away for her. She doesn't deserve this. I'm sad and scared for her, but I know I need to be strong to help all of us get through this. For those who do pray, can you please keep her in your prayers? Thank you,

Kids say the funniest things

So I was getting the kids into bed the other night and Cassie says to me, "mommy I want to see your boots" and I looked at her rather puzzled because I didn't have boots on, and I know for a fact that this child knows what boots are.

I sat down on the edge of her bed and put my foot on her bed to show her that I didn't have any boots on. However, I did have black socks on and I thought in their bedroom with the lights off, maybe they did look like boots to her.

As I'm lifting my foot up to show her she again tells me, "mommy, I want to see your boots" and then she grabs ahold of my tank top and pulls the front of it down and says, "oh mommy, I see them, theirs your boots" OMG, I fell on the floor laughing, and cassie just had this puzzled look on her face. Gosh I love being a mom, these kids keep me going every day!