Life as i know it...

Guest Blogger ~ His Military Wife

2012-02-13T18:51:00.003-10:00

I did my first post as a guest blogger today!! Here is my post: (http://networkedblogs.com/tWt3e)

♥~Michelle

Pinterest Craft!!

2012-02-12T17:04:00.003-10:00

I am still very much addicted to Pinterest, have been pinning things to my to do lists and cool ideas list and everything in between.

I recently used it for a cute Valentines Day idea for my daughter's Kindergarten class. Pop Rocks candy, paper, stickers and we created a, "You ROCK Valentine" treat for her classmates. So fun!

If you haven't checked out Pinterest, you need too. Let me know if you need an invite sent your way and I will make it happen. Such a neat website with tons of neat ideas, patterns, recipes. It is wonderful, but oh so addicting! Ha Ha...

♥~Michelle

Guest Blogger

2012-02-12T15:55:00.000-10:00

A very good friend of mine who I have known since I was young and have kept in touch with through the years has recently asked me to become a guest blogger on her personal blog. I tell you what I am kind of slacking, (well life has been crazy busy too) but I do need to get my poop in a scoop and get on it. I am actually a little nervous and not sure what to write about on her page, but hopefully that will come with time. She is an amazing writer, so it is an honor to be asked to guest blog for her. Soon you can catch my guest blogging on:

If you haven't already, check out her blog. As I stated above, she is an amazing writer and will someday probably have her own book. I always get a good laugh or sometimes shed tears, cause her writing is real and there is nothing fake about anything she has to say.

♥~Michelle

"good Golly miss Molly!"

2012-02-12T15:52:00.009-10:00

Meet Molly, the newest member of our Family! She is a female Chug... (apple nose chihuahua pug).. We adopted her yesterday and the kids are so excited!

Before we left Hawaii and knew we were expecting we were going to get a teacup yorkie or some type of small breed dog when we got to California... Well then we found out we were expecting, so we had to re-think whether we wanted a puppy and a new baby all at once and then our housing didn't allow pets, so it was just a no go.

Our housing just recently became pet friendly and are allowing pets of certain breeds and sizes. Our kids have been wanting one forever and a pet fish is just not cutting it! LOL.. So we decided to look around and Hubby was all about it. (It's not the big hunting dog he wants to have someday down the road, but something small for in the house and for the kids to play with and get use too.) Her dad was 3lbs & her mom was 6lbs, so she shouldn't get real big.. and she has short hair, which is a plus for me, for having her in the house.. :)

At some point I just might think I am crazy. (Two kids, puppy and a baby on the way.) I am sure there are others who think so, but so far everything is going good. We are all really enjoying her. She is adapting well and adjusting to us and our home nicely. She has had a couple accidents, but that is to be expected, especially with an 8 week old puppy, in a new home with new people. She has been going outside really good too though, so that gives me great hope that as long as we stay on top of it, she will be potty trained in no time.

I was really surprised this afternoon when she went to the door and started whining, I opened it and she ran outside to do her business. It was a proud Mommy/pet owner moment and I was so proud of her. She is catching on to the potty outside thing really good. She really loves to run and play, she is very playful which is great for our active playful kids and family!

This next week will be time for scheduling vaccinations and all the fun stuff that comes with owning a puppy and living on base.

Oh and I now share my birth date with Molly. She was born on December 10, 2011.

Isn't she adorable?!? We sure think so!!

♥~Michelle

Fashionista Flowers!!

2012-02-12T15:40:00.000-10:00

A very crafty friend from my hometown in Montana has been crafting away with flowers, beads, buttons, hair clips, headbands, ponytails, anything that works to create her adorable masterpieces. She does an amazing job and I think she has some for sale in a Ronan, Montana business and hopefully soon she will have a fan page on Facebook and maybe someday an Etsy site! ;)

She even made a bunch of little flower decorated headbands for a Children's

hospital, which is so generous and one of the most thoughtful ideas ever.

I think her work is amazing and she is one of the kindest people you will ever meet!
If you are in the Ronan or surrounding areas, you need to go see her flowers and hair accessories! If you are not, hopefully someday you will have the chance to see her accessories on a fan page or online website somewhere. :)

♥~Michelle

14 weeks

2012-01-12T07:02:00.005-10:00

I am 14 weeks pregnant today with baby #3. I am still fighting with myself on whether to find out the gender or not in 6 weeks. Such a tough decision and I don't know if Hubby and I can hold out without knowing.

I've been having dreams that we are having a girl, but I have a feeling deep down that it's a boy. I took a few gender predictor quizzes online, did the Chinese charts and read some old wives tales, they all say boy. Even a charm on a chain swings back & forth over my tummy, instead of going in circles.. My Hubby has a feeling it's a girl. He hasn't really said why, but has always guessed our other pregnancies correct.

I ate frozen swiss cake rolls, icecream and anything sweet or chocolate like it was going out of style when I was expecting my daughter. I filled up on meat, apples and peanut butter with my son. With baby #3 I'm loving anything salty, pretzels, wheat thins with slices of pepperoni, chips with salsa and pickled asparagus... anything sweet makes me sick this time.

So far my baby bump is low and out front, I carried the same way with my son. I have however broke out a couple times in the last month and I never broke out with my son, but did awful bad with my daughter. So far I have similarities to both of my previous pregnancies,(1 girl and 1 boy) kind of a mix of both every now and then.

I was sick all day everyday with my daughter and felt amazing the whole pregnancy with my son. With baby #3, I have felt great, whenever I eat sweets I feel sick to my stomach and I have an awful headache every now and then, but otherwise all is well, no nausea or morning sickness so far..

So anxious to meet our 3rd little bundle of joy! Only 6 more weeks until he or she is 1/2 way done baking in the oven! ;)

♥~Michelle

Life

2012-01-11T14:51:00.000-10:00

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!" ~ Rocky Balboa

One of my favorite quotes! ;)

♥~Michelle

money madness

2012-01-11T13:36:00.004-10:00

Being a USMC Family for the last (almost)7 years we have never had allot of paycheck to work with and stretch between bills, groceries, kid essentials and everything else under the sun that needs money. So when the Marine Corp decided to PCS us at last minute notice to an area where our paycheck decreased by $700/paycheck and then told us they wouldn't be reimbursing us for all our travel claims, (motels, food, etc..) it made it nothing but stress, especially in the month of December with the Holidays.

We proceeded to push back and put off some of our bills, thinking and relying on that travel claim reimbursement to come in an cover our bills. IPAC turned it down stating to us that we didn't get any, (it was a wtf? moment) because we knew we rated it and it wasn't easy to cover the amount of motel time and having to eat out while in the motel, while waiting for a house to open up. I was furious, we didn't choose to move or ask to move. In fact, the monitor had told us we were going to stay put in Hawaii until spring of 2013 and then to our surprise gave us orders a few months later that were last minute and needed to be executed in a month and a half! They moved us & were supposed to cover everything for that move. (once again, the USMC had screwed us. Can we ever catch a break?!?)

The end of November and whole month of December was a very tight struggle. We were not able to go all out for the Holidays, but tried to do what we could to make Christmas as great as it could be for our kids. That is all that mattered, I didn't need or want anything more then to give them a good Christmas.

I have always used coupons, but became that crazy women looking in every newspaper bin for coupons. I'm now starting and learning to coupon, budget and be allot more frugal with our money. We made a very little amount stretch allot farther and longer than some people could probably ever imagine. Sometimes being down to $20-$30 left in the account, we were a Family of 4 struggling from paycheck to paycheck and barely getting by. It was scary and it was stressful waiting on the next paycheck to hit the account.

Here we are half way through January, caught up on our bills, budgeting better and learning to set aside emergency money. Hubby had picked up a 2nd job at Lowes, he works a few nights a week to add a little extra to our savings. We also never gave up the fight with IPAC and to our surprise, we will be getting reimbursed for the money they owe us by next payday. (YAHOO!) The delay was that they(IPAC) had lost some of our paperwork and couldn't submit the claim for the money, why they couldn't just say that is beyond me. We could have resolved that long ago by re-doing or submitting whatever it was they lost.

Hubby and I are both feeling very relieved today. This experience has taught us allot about budgeting and being more financially stable. We are starting off this new year with a whole different outlook on money. There are so many things that we have always wasted money on, that we couldn't spend the money on this last month and we learned that most of it could be lived without. Maybe everything does happen for a reason. ;)

♥~Michelle

2012

2012-01-01T11:58:00.008-10:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I have been pondering for a few days about writing a New Years resolution blog... I started with a list and tried to narrow it down.

Of course I always set goals for myself to loose those few extra pounds... Since I am currently expecting, I am going to just stick with my work outs and try to shed all the baby weight by Christmas. (That's my goal anyways!)

Although I love being both, I think I could always improve on being a Mom or being a Wife, I know I learn something new everyday and it seems like everyday is a new adventure.

I try to remind myself often, to appreciate the small things and to not take anyone or anything for granted..

I am still working hard on my NYIP course and trying to improve my photography with all that I am learning. I love my hobby and hope to someday have my own photography business and later down the road maybe a studio too! (I guess that is more of a long term goal for myself..)

I sometimes think that laundry should be my biggest resolution of all! I'm good at washing, drying and folding.. It's the putting it all away from the piles on the couch that seems to be where I am slacking. Ha! Need to work on that!

I'm going to learn to be more frugal. I plan on learning how to budget better, save money and separate wants from needs more. (Couponing is kinda fun too!) Living off one paycheck (my husband's military pay) is a challenge and now with our 3rd child on the way I think that is where I need to improve the most. My 2012 New Years Resolution is to be more frugal or at least learn to be more frugal with our finances and my growing Family of almost 5! :)

I am sure I will think of more things or goals for myself to add to my list throughout the year, but for now this where I will start!

Happy New Year!

♥~Michelle

Sharb Family 2011 A-Z

2011-12-29T07:25:00.005-10:00

Sharb Family 2011 A-Z

A is for Aub, who turned 5 in February. She has grown into a very outgoing and energetic little girl. She loves horses, drawing, playing on the beach, riding her bike and being a big sister.

B is for baby! We found out in November that we are expecting our 3rd bundle of joy! We are so excited & eager to meet him or her. We are due July 12, 2012.

C California. We moved back to California in November. Camp Pendleton is now our 3rd duty station.

D is deployment. We welcomed Hubby home from his 3rd deployment in April. It is such a blessing to have had him return for the 3rd time healthy and safe. We are very proud of all that he does and has accomplished.

E Email. Our email addresses are still the same.

F is Facebook! We have been keeping in touch with many of our Family & Friends through Facebook. Technology is wonderful.

G is for golf. Hubby enjoys playing golf in his free time. I have occasionally gone along this year and I’m really starting to enjoy it too.

H Hawaii is beautiful. Living in paradise has been an amazing experience. We spent allot of our time at the beach and really enjoyed the sunshine all year round.

I is a hard letter and after days of brainstorming I cant seem to think of anything except, I is for ink! Hubby and I both got our 1st tattoos this year!

J is for the joy that our two beautiful and healthy children bring into our lives as parents everyday. We are very blessed.

K Kindergarten. Aub is now in Kindergarten and absolutely loves it! She comes home everyday eager to tell us about her days and all that she is learning.

L Lightning McQueen’s biggest fan has got to be our little guy Ry. Lightning McQueen and Tractors are two of his favorite things!

M is for Montana. We visited Montana for 2 weeks in July. Although the time seemed to have gone by way too fast, it was wonderful to see our Family and Friends and a change of scenery too.

N is new address. (Family & Friends message me if you still need it) :)

O October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We participated in the Honolulu Race for the Cure 5K Run. Hubby pushed the double jogging stroller with both kids and I ran along side him. We finished in 35 minutes and are so happy to have accomplished our 1st 5K for a very good cause.

P is photography. I am pursuing photography and started taking courses with The New York Institute of Photography in August. There is so much to learn in the photography field. I am really enjoying it and feel like I have progressed some, learning something new everyday.

Q Quiet, our home is very rarely quite and we like it that way! ;)

R is for Ry, who turned 4 in December. He is definitely all boy. Loves to climb everything, gets excited over anything with a motor or tires and can spend hours playing in the dirt. Our energetic little guy is very anxious to start school like his big sister, but enjoys being Mommy’s big helper for now.

S is support. Thank You for all the love and support towards us and our proud Marine Corp Family.

T Turtle Bay Resort. We celebrated our 6th Wedding Anniversary at the Turtle Bay Resort in May. We relaxed all weekend, kid free and golfed the Arnold Palmer Golf Course.

U is USMC. The United States Marine Corp turned 236 years old on November 10th.

V is for visit. Please consider a visit to see us, we would love to have all our Family and Friends come see our new home in California.

W Weapons Field Training Battalion is Hubby’s new unit.

X XoXo to

Y “YOU” our Family & Friends.

Z “Z to A” and “A to Z” we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love,
Michelle and Family

Baby makes 5!!

2011-11-25T10:00:00.006-10:00

Okay, I could have written about this in my last update, but I thought it was special enough for its own post!

A few weeks ago I wasn't feeling well and started putting together symptoms to find that we are expecting our 3rd bundle of joy! We are all very excited! We are due on July 10, 2012.

We keep going back and forth on whether or not to find our the gender this time though. We think it would be such an amazing special surprise to find out at birth. We already have 1 girl and 1 boy and are just hoping for another healthy baby. On the other hand my patience battles with me on whether I will be able to make it 40 weeks without knowing whether I am carrying a boy or a girl and whether I will be able to find at least the things I will need for our newborn baby until he or she is born and we can then shower him or her with everything for baby after knowing the gender.

We browsed around in some stores and there are a few car seats and outfits that could go either way gender wise, but most everything is either pink or blue.. Good thing I have awhile to shop around and find everything we will need right away in gender neutral colors.

Our kids are very excited about having a baby sister or brother and are already brainstorming for name choices and fun things they wanna do with him or her. Little do they know or understand yet that the new baby will eat and sleep allot for the first little bit. Ha Ha .. I'm sure they are going to be great little helpers and we are so excited to give them another sibling.

I will continue to update progress on our 3rd bundle of joy and our growing Family as we approach our due date next July! :)

♥~Michelle

Back on the mainland/Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T09:45:00.005-10:00

We arrived at our next duty station about 2 weeks ago. PCSing is sure stressful, but we were lucky enough to be out of the motel and in our new house for Thanksgiving and although our new house is empty, as we await our household goods to arrive... We were together this year and it was wonderful!

We are back on the mainland and back in California. We were stationed here before Hawaii and we loved it, so it was exciting to come back and see familiar places and some faces too. We are getting adjusted to the time change, the cooler weather and all the new schedules of my Hubby's new job and Aub's new school. She starts on Monday and is a little nervous, but I know she will do awesome.

Other then that there isn't much to update on for now. Haven't been able to have internet access much until today, so I thought it would be a good time to write a quick blog update!

We are eagerly awaiting our household things to arrive and our Kiddos are very excited about Christmas in the coming weeks. Our little guy Ry will turn 4 years old 4 days before Christmas too.. Now that we are getting settled, I will be able to continue my photography course, keep pursing photography, do a few more Pinterest crafts and blog more often too!

I am Thankful for allot of things. I have been blessed. So Thankful for everyone and everything in my life. I ♥ my Husband, my Kids, my Family and my Friends so much and I'm so Thankful for my freedom and our Troops
Hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving!

♥~Michelle

Veterans

2011-11-01T14:48:00.000-10:00

Veterans should be thanked everyday, not just once a year.

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us...

Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T13:13:00.005-10:00

Happy Halloween!!

♥~Michelle

Race for the Cure

2011-10-28T14:22:00.000-10:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Hubby and I participated in our 1st 5K together. The Honolulu Race for the Cure 5K Run. Hubby pushed the double jogging stroller with both kids and I ran along side him. We finished in 35 minutes and are so happy to have accomplished our 1st 5K for a very good cause. I cant wait to do it again next year! :)

♥~Michelle

Pinterest!!

2011-10-24T11:42:00.000-10:00

I am addicted to Pinterest! There are so many inspirational and neat ideas, patterns and recipes on there... I seriously love this site and log into it everyday before my email

even. I think I like it more than Facebook. ;)

So far, I've used a couple recipes and completed a few crafts. Hopefully once we get settled after our move, I can start doing more of the projects and recipes on my to do list!

(http://pinterest.com/mharrissharbono/)

♥~Michelle

Here is one of my first completed projects. It goes on my camera of course! ;) Something fun to get babies & kiddos to look & hopefully lots of smiles too!

Family Update

2011-10-24T08:59:00.003-10:00

Wow! I havent posted a blog in over a year. It has sure been a busy year, with lots of new happenings, I dont even know where to start... But am going to try to get back into the blogging groove again...

In the last year we survived our 3rd deployment and welcomed our Marine home in April. It is such a blessing to have had him return for the 3rd time healthy and safe. We are very proud of all that he does and has accomplished.

Hubby and I celebrated our 6th Wedding Anniversary in May at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu. We relaxed all weekend, kid free and golfed the Arnold Palmer Golf Course. My Hubby enjoys golfing in his spare time and I have occasionally gone along and I'm really starting to enjoy it too.

We visited our hometowns in Montana for Hubby's post deployment leave in July. It was our first time home in almost two years and although the two week trip seemed to have gone by way too fast, it was so wonderful to see our Family, Friends and a change of scenery too.

Lets see, Aub started kindergarten this fall and really likes it. She comes home everyday so excited to tell us about her day and all that she is learning. Ry is very anxious to start school like his sister, but is enjoying being Mommy's helper for now. Both kiddos have grown

like crazy and have really developed their own personalities! Aub is a very outgoing and energetic little girl. She loves horses, drawing, playing on the beach, riding her bike and being a big sister. Ry is definitely all boy. Loves to climb everything, gets excited over anything with a motor or tires and can spend hours playing in the dirt. They both bring so much joy into our lives as parents everyday. We are very blessed.

I am pursuing photography and started taking courses with The New York Institute of Photography in August. There is so much to learn in the photography field. I am really enjoying it and feel like I have progressed some, learning something new everyday. (My photography blog is: http://msharbphotog.blogspot.com/)

We have been busy getting ready to PCS to California. Camp Pendleton was our first duty station and will now be our third station too. We are excited to be back on the mainland after a few years of island living. Hawaii has been an amazing experience, but we are ready for the next chapter. We have only two weekends left and we will be on our way! Yahoo!

I think that pretty much updates on us for now... We have spent allot of time at the beach and continue to make new memories everyday. I'm still trying to figure out when my babies grew into children. Keeping up with the daily grind of being a proud USMC wife, Mommy to two energetic children, an Amateur Photographer and life in general has me on my toes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my life and everyone in it. Thank You for all the love and support towards us, our Marine Corp Family and my photography journey.

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #103 ♥

2010-09-29T13:40:00.000-10:00

Day #103 of project 365:

DADDY DOLLS

9/29/2010

(Both kiddos now have their Daddy Dolls... Aub has had hers since our very first deployment back in 2006! She took that thing everywhere during our 1st and 2nd deployments and Ry was a newborn during our 2nd, so we never got him one. Now since he is older and was starting to cling to big sissy's Daddy Doll, we went ahead and ordered him his own. He had a really tough time saying goodbye to Daddy and the doll finally came in the mail so he was so excited to open it up! Thank You hugahero.com for making these kind of things to comfort my children while Daddy is away serving our country!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #102 ♥

2010-09-28T13:15:00.000-10:00

Day #102 of project 365:

FAMILY PHOTOS

9/28/2010

(I know these pictures are not from today, but I havent shared any of them on here yet and I didnt take any new pictures today on my camera... A friend of mine spent the afternoon with us and clicked hundreds for us... I love them all... Our kiddos have quit the personalities and the sun was bright, but we had fun and now we have updated family photos until Daddy comes home!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #101 ♥

2010-09-27T11:11:00.000-10:00

Day #101 of project 365:

Updated Header!!

9/27/2010

(OLD)

(NEW/UPDATED)

(updated my blog header with new photos!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #100 ♥

2010-09-26T13:29:00.000-10:00

Day #100 of project 365:

100th day!!

9/26/2010

(Today is my 100th day since I have started my project 365!! Granted I did miss 2 weeks of posting everyday to spend some family time before my Hubby deployed, but it is still the 100th day since I started!! ~ This is a flower I captured at the Honolulu Zoo during some of our family time!! Isn't is gorgeous?!?)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #99 ♥

2010-09-25T13:15:00.000-10:00

Day #99 of project 365:
Airshow
9/25/2010

(As much as I wanted to sit at home, veg out and sulk I got my butt out of bed and took my kiddos to the airshow today!! They loved watching the planes and especially the Blue Angels... Although very loud at times, we had a good time and it was good for us all to get out of the house...)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #98 ♥

2010-09-24T20:23:00.000-10:00

Day #98 of project 365:

see you soon...

9/24/2010

(Had to say, "see you soon" to my Hubby... This is our 3rd overseas wartime deployment. ~ I love my Marine and am so very proud of him and all of his accomplishments. He is my hero and I stand beside and behind him 110%!! ~ I love you Hubby!! Be safe and come home to us!! See you soon my love!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #78-Day #97 ♥

2010-09-23T15:23:00.000-10:00

Day #78-Day #97 of project 365:

pre-deployment family time

9/5/2010-9/23/2010

(So I fell behind on my project 365, cause I was on the computer very minimal while my Hubby was home in between his J-School and our 3rd deployment.. Since I missed posting 19 days, I am going to just post a few pictures and then continue on from now... The last few weeks have been amazing! Family time, dates, no set schedules. It was very relaxing. I love my Hubby with my whole heart and my love grows for him everyday! I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments! I stand beside and behind me 110%!! Him and our kiddos complete me and I can not wait to have him home with us again!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #77 ♥

2010-09-04T13:35:00.000-10:00

Day #77 of project 365:

KIDDOS

9/4/2010

(Our beautiful Kiddos are growing up way too fast!! Where does the time go?!? We will soon have a 3 and 5 year old!! So crazy!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #76 ♥

2010-09-03T12:42:00.000-10:00

Day #76 of project 365:

SPOILED!!!

9/3/2010

(Hubby surprised me with red roses! He has been spoiling me left and right! ~ I love fresh flowers and this is my 2nd bouquet in the last 2 weeks!! ~ That man makes me feel like a queen everyday, he's such an amazing husband. My love grows for him everyday. :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #75 ♥

2010-09-02T12:41:00.000-10:00

Day #75 of project 365:

Sun, Soccer & Snocones

9/2/2010

(Beautiful, clear, sunny days with a light breeze are the best days for family park outings and flying kites, picnik lunch, playing soccer, then cooling off with a nice cold snocone!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #74 ♥

2010-09-01T12:40:00.000-10:00

Day #74 of project 365:

GOLF DATE

9/1/2010

(Had a golf date with my handsome Hubby!! I'm not an expert golfer, but love to go along and do something that he loves and is awesome at!! My swing and score seem to get better the more I go, thanks to my amazing coach! ;))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #73 ♥

2010-08-31T12:39:00.000-10:00

Day #73 of project 365:

~FLOWERBED~

8/31/2010

(We re-decorated our flowerbed! It was just rocks, so we decided to spiff it up a little... hit some end of the summer clearnace racks and found some deals and it turned out pretty nice! I'm hoping my thumb grows some green, cause I wanna keep it nice, but dont have a good history with plants! HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #72 ♥

2010-08-30T12:38:00.000-10:00

Day #72 of project 365:

EXPLORING OAHU...

8/30/2010

(Over looking Honolulu & the Diamond Head Crater!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #71 ♥

2010-08-29T16:00:00.000-10:00

Day #71 of project 365:

POOL FUN!!

8/29/2010

(Spent the whole day being lazy & playing with our kiddos in our patio pool!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #70 ♥

2010-08-28T11:37:00.000-10:00

Day #70 of project 365:

Family

8/28/2010

(When my family is together, my world is complete and my heart is whole!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #69 ♥

2010-08-27T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #69

HUBBY IS HOME!!

8/27/2010

(IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE HIM HERE!! NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT DEPARTURE... IT IS SOONER THAN WE HAD HOPED FOR, BUT WILL AND ARE MAKING THE MOST OF THE TIME WE HAVE TOGETHER!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #68 ♥

2010-08-26T16:30:00.000-10:00

Day #68

Congrats Hubby!!

8/26/2010

(My Hubby graduated from Journeyman's School today!! Wish I could have been there, but am still very proud of him and all of his accomplishments! He continues to make me a proud military wife everyday! ~ I love you Hubby!!) (This was the only picture he got and its blurry, I'm pretty bummed..)

♥~Michelle

looking back... recap/ramblings

2010-08-25T21:15:00.000-10:00

Well here I am, wide awake at midnight. I've been folding laundry & watching TV and can not keep my eyes off the clock. How come when we are anticipating something exciting, big or fun, the time seems to drag?!?
I've almost survived Hubby's 3 month J-School!! Yahoo!! Looking back, the last 3 months have seemed to have flown right by. Although at times it felt like forever, it really wasn't too bad.

Over the last few months I have accomplished allot and am feeling quite a bit more independent.
~I am now very much more independent to driving in island traffic and finding my way around. Rush hour, downtown, I have endured it all on my own and am pretty proud of myself, since for the first year we have been here I usually didn't drive far from base. What would I do without my GPS...
~I was tail ended while sitting still in a grocery store parking lot. I had to take care of the insurance claims, and the body work... The car is all fixed and we even got our deductible back, since I was in park and sitting still. It was not my fault that people cant drive in a parking lot.
~I had the cops called on me... long story, but it was stupid.
~I almost packed my entire house in a 2 month span and am now almost finished UN-packing everything I packed! LOL... No it wasn't for entertainment, but we had some plans and then our plans changed around the military's schedule, which is to be expected with our way of life, but still was quite a task to pack everything and then UN-pack it too. Ha!
~I painted my daughter's room and redecorated her walls... Painted my room and re-decorated and Bought paint for my son's room, which will soon be painted and re-decorated!!
~Have attended and hosted girls nights with my best island friends!! :))
~Survived countless trips in and out of the commissary, PX, NEX, Walmart, Home Depot, dental appointments and a few restaurants with both kiddos, on my own!!
~Lost weight!!!
~Potty Training my son... work in progress..
~Had a yard sale and made over $100...
~Re-enrolled in my online classes..
~spent countless hours playing and exploring with my kiddos both at home and around the island!! :)) My kiddos are a blessing and I don't know what I would do or be without them. They get me through the days while Hubby is away!

So that is pretty much the gist of the bigger things. I feel like I have become a little more independent. In the past for our deployments, I had gone to my hometown to be with family, so I've always had a little extra help with everyday happenings and kids, but this was our longest separation so far where I was completely on my own in a strange new place. I had my down days and days where I didn't wanna get dressed, see anyone or do anything productive, but I also had some great days and have learned a little more about myself along the way. I feel like this J-School has somewhat prepared me for our upcoming deployment. I wish we had more time in between the two separations, but know that everything will be okay and I know now, that I can do this on an island, on my own. YAYY me!! I have been a little timid about staying on Oahu, but I think it will all be alright. Hubby will go do his job and be back, before we know it, our kiddos, my online course, my scrapbook hobby, friends and everyday, day to day activities will keep me busier than a bee!!
Its so hard to wait and wait on the man you love. Him and our children are my everything and we have a good strong friendship bond. We rely on each other and have been through so much together, I dont and cant picture myself with anyone else ever. Sometimes I feel lost without him.. gosh I miss him... I am already looking forward to homecoming... I have so much on my mind right now, that I am starting to ramble, so I better wrap this up.
I'm really looking forward to Hubby being home with us for a few weeks. I know he will be leaving again soon, but am not going to think about that and just enjoy the days we do get to spend with him! We have missed him so much.

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #67 ♥

2010-08-25T17:00:00.000-10:00

Day #67 of project 365:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRIEND!!

8/25/2010

(Happy Birthday today, to one of my very best girl friends!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #66 ♥

2010-08-24T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #66 of project 365:

Imagination
8/24/2010

(I love spending the days playing with my kiddos! They are both in a very fun stage/age and have such big imaginations!! Everyday is a new adventure!! ~ Ry was looking through his binoculars!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #65 ♥

2010-08-23T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #65 of project 365:

Bedroom

8/23/2010

(I decided to redo our bedroom... picked out some new fun bedding, painted the walls a light grayish color, used black accents, decor and picture frames... It is still a work in progress, but is coming together!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #64 ♥

2010-08-22T09:50:00.000-10:00

Day #64 of project 365:

Flowers from Hubby

8/22/2010

(My Hubby is way too sweet. He ordered me flowers and had them delivered to my door... Miss him very much, but get to see him soon for a couple weeks! YAYY!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #63 ♥

2010-08-21T09:50:00.000-10:00

Day #63 of project 365:

Boudoir Girls Day

8/21/2010

(Some of my best girls and I got together and did our own little photoshoots. We had a large variety of outfits and themes! It was really fun and now we have some photos for our hubbys! ~Here is a head shot of me, I took mine personally for my Hubby, so I wont be posting anymore on here. ;))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #62 ♥

2010-08-20T09:48:00.000-10:00

Day #62 of project 365:

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times
8/20/2010

(Girls night!! Good Friends, Good Food, Fun Games, Good Movies, Good Wine, Good times! I love my girls!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #61 ♥

2010-08-19T09:47:00.000-10:00

Day #61 of project 365:

Exploring Oahu

8/19/2010

(Waikiki, Hawaii)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #60 ♥

2010-08-18T09:47:00.000-10:00

Day #60 of project 365:

Exploring Oahu

8/18/2010

(Turtle Beach :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #59 ♥

2010-08-17T20:00:00.000-10:00

Day #59 of project 365:

CATCH UP!!!

8/17/2010

(I fell behind a few days on my project 365. So sorry to all of my regular family and friend followers. Life has been very busy for the last few weeks and we have lots going on, but I finally took the time to get everything up to date and ready to roll! :) I will be posting a new family update sometime in the next few days as well!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #58 ♥

2010-08-16T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #58

KIDDOS
8/16/2010

(I can not believe how big our beautiful children are getting!! Its crazy to me that we actually don't have babies anymore. Ry will be 3 this December and Aub will turn 5 and register for kindergarten next February. Where does the time go?!?)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #57 ♥

2010-08-15T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #57 of project 365:

kiddo movie date
8/15/2010

(My kiddos and I went on a movie date to see Toy Story 3 today! It was very fun, both kiddos were well behaved and loved going to the theatre, eating popcorn and they really liked the movie too!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #56 ♥

2010-08-14T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #56 of project 365:
Eat Pray Love
8/14/2010

(Went to see the movie, Eat Pray Love with the girls. Excellent movie! I cried several times and laughed some too... it was definitely one I will watch again, probably more than once. Made me think about allot of things. I love Julia Roberts and thought she was awesome in this one!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #55 ♥

2010-08-13T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #55
Casablanca
8/13/2010

(I went on a dinner date with some girl friends tonight and they took me to a little Moroccan restaurant in Kailua called, Casablanca. It was a neat little place and the food was yummy. I ate a rack of lamb(my first time eating lamb) and it was delicious. Such a fun, relaxed place to eat.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #54 ♥

2010-08-12T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #54 of project 365:

3D @ Home

8/12/2010

(My kids love the Bob's big break DVD that came with Monsters vs Aliens last winter. Bob's Big Break has a 3D version and 3D glasses. It isn't a very long movie, but they like to watch it over & over! Aub thinks she looks like Bob with the glasses on! HaHa Silly girl!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #53 ♥

2010-08-11T17:00:00.000-10:00

Day #53 of project 365:

picture torture
8/11/2010

(I was only trying to take one picture to send to Daddy of our kiddos and Ry wasnt too thrilled. He's not real fond of having lots of pictures taken. Every once in awhile I catch him in a cheesy stage, but not real often, he must get that from his Dad. LOL)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #52 ♥

2010-08-10T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #52 of project 365
michelle secrets?!?

8/10/2010

(Family and friends keep asking me, how I'm loosing weight. Yes, I am eating and over the last year or so, I was visiting the gym regularly everyday. But I really haven't pushed myself hard in the last couple months, Ill tell you my latest secrets! I play lots of hopscotch, run on the beach with my kiddos, chase bubbles, give my kiddos piggy back rides and push 65 pounds in a double stroller! HaHa ... oh and no soda!! I replaced soda with the flavored water from Wal-Mart or crystal light! :)
I also started taking a vitamin supplement last May that has probably helped a lot too! I love it. Its from the GNC store and its a women's WELLbeING line.(I take the be-HOT turbopak). Gives me energy and curbs my appetite.. I am finally only 10pounds heavier then I was in 2005 before pregnancy. I feel great and love fitting into my clothes comfortably!! I still have mega toning to do, mainly in my core... but that will come with time. :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #51 ♥

2010-08-09T15:45:00.000-10:00

Day #51 of project 365:
BEACH

8/9/2010

(IDK what my kiddos are going to do without the Beach when our time is up in Hawaii. They love the beach. Ry likes the sand and Aub likes the water! We go there almost everyday since its only a 3 minute walk from our house!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #50 ♥

2010-08-08T16:30:00.000-10:00

Day #50 of project 365:

BEACH
8/8/2010

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #49 ♥

2010-08-07T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #49 of project 365
8/7/2010

(I painted this frame awhile back to match my red kitchen, but then didn't know what kind of pictures to put in a red frame... I finally decided to put some of my favorite flower pictures that I have taken inside and I think it turned out pretty good. (Its pretty bright, but this pic if from my phone)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #48 ♥

2010-08-06T19:00:00.000-10:00

Day #48 of project 365:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY!!
8/6/2010

(This has been my Hubby's traditional birthday cake for 4 of the last 6 years... We have only celebrated his 23rd and 25th birthdays together since we were married in 2005! So crazy, but thetas life and comes with the job. He gets showered with care packages! I like to make themed care packages to try and send as much of the holidays and special events as I can to him when he is gone!! He works hard and deserves to be spoiled, even thousands of miles away! ~ Happy 26th Birthday Hubby!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #47 ♥

2010-08-05T19:39:00.001-10:00

Day #47 of project 365:
8/5/2010

(We took this picture in downtown Waikiki last May. None of us really knew what to think of these parrots! The one on my hand was flapping its wings and squawking loud, it was kinda freaky.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #46 ♥

2010-08-04T19:38:00.000-10:00

Day #46 of project 365:

GOLF

8/4/2010

(I am missing my Hubby and our golf dates... Okay so I'm not a very good golfer, but my Hubby is an excellent golfer and I like to go along every now and then! Its kinda fun and we always have a good time, even though it usually takes me forever to finish! LOL ~ To be honest I think my favorite part of our golf dates are the one on one lessons from my Hubby. ;))

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #45 ♥

2010-08-03T19:37:00.000-10:00

Day #45 of project 365:

SNAILS

8/3/2010

(I had never seen a snail larger than a quarter, until Hawaii! They are everywehere here!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #44 ♥

2010-08-02T19:36:00.000-10:00

Day #44 of project 365

8/2/2010

(I am actually really adjusting to island life on Oahu. I am getting around better and venturing off base. Those who know me, know I am not a fan of the busy city traffic, but I am doing it on my own, with both my kiddos!! YAYY ME!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #43 ♥

2010-08-01T19:35:00.000-10:00

Day #43 of project 365:
TEA PARTY
8/1/2010

(We attended a tea party at a cute little tea house in Kailua. (A Cup of Tea) It was so fun to get all dolled up, sip tea and eat finger foods! This is my daughter, Aub wearing one of my dresses from when I was 4 years old!! :))

♥~Michelle

project 354 ~ Day #42 ♥

2010-07-31T19:34:00.000-10:00

Day #42 of project 365:

HANGLOOSE

7/31/2010

(Aub's most popular pose for pictures!! HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #41 ♥

2010-07-30T19:34:00.000-10:00

Day #41 of project 365:
playground fun
7/30/2010

(My little guy loves too swing.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #40 ♥

2010-07-29T19:33:00.000-10:00

Day #40 of project 365:

We Can Do It!!

7/29/2010

(This picture always motivates me as a military spouse. When I have a rough day I glance at it and it reminds me that my Hubby and I can survive these separations. "We Can Do It!!" Maybe someday I'll get one taken like this!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #39 ♥

2010-07-28T19:29:00.000-10:00

Day #39 of project 365:

Flashback July 28, 2008

7/28/2010

(2 years ago today I hugged my Hubby and wished him well as he returned to Iraq for the 3rd time. It was the end of our 2 week R&R. We had previously survived a 7 month deployment from 2006-2007, but 2008 was a rough one on us. We saw him for 2 weeks out of the entire year of 2008. It was sure tough to watch him board that plane again at the end of those 2 weeks... 6 months after this picture we survived our 2nd combat deployment.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #38 ♥

2010-07-27T19:28:00.000-10:00

Day #38 of project 365:

Exploring Oahu

7/27/2010

(Kailua, Hawaii)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #37 ♥

2010-07-26T19:20:00.000-10:00

Day #37 of project 365:
Flower

7/26/2010

(Whether I am walking, driving or riding with someone else, I usually always have to stop and take pictures of the flowers... Hawaii has beautiful flowers.)

♥~Michelle

cousins

2010-07-25T23:12:00.000-10:00

... where I come from, the bride rides in on a horse, the backdrop is the snow capped mountains and the groomsmen wear their cowboy hats...

I'm kinda bummed that I missed my cousin's wedding. It looked so beautiful, from the few pictures I've seen! I'm very happy for her and her husband and I cant wait to see them when I go to Montana to visit this fall!
I really wish I could have been there and feel bad about not being there, but the timing, just didn't work. We had already planned on dates to go home, before we knew the dates of the wedding and trying to plan around the military is also difficult. I did look into tickets to go home for it, just in case, but then money was an issue. Its pretty expensive to fly to and from Hawaii, especially twice within a couple months.. So I hope that she really understands why I couldn't be there, although I was with her in spirit. I thought about her all day. I pictured her grinning from ear to ear, she deserves so much happiness and I am so happy for her!!
We grew up together, wearing dress up clothes, playing down by the canal, in the old dark and dirty cellar, riding horses and are only 4 months apart in age. We have always been close, whether we are far apart or close together. Something about a link between cousins. With cousins you can go days, weeks, months and sometimes years without seeing one another in person and still start right back where you left off, when you do catch up!! I love all of my cousins very much and am looking forward to catching up with a few of them this fall...
♥~Michelle

P.S. I copied the pictures from another cousin! Thank You!! :))

project 365 ~ Day #36 ♥

2010-07-25T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #36 of project 365:

1st Birthday

7/25/2010

(One of my Best Girlfriend's little princess turned the big #1 a week ago and we helped celebrate her birthday today!! (this last year flew by in the blink of an eye, seems like she was a newborn yesterday..) ~ I video taped the party and took tons of pictures for her Mommy and Daddy. Daddy is currently deployed and I wanted to capture as much as I could for them. ~ Happy Birthday Princess, we love you!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #35 ♥

2010-07-24T17:00:00.000-10:00

Day #35 of project 365:

LEMONADE!!

7/24/2010

(Today at our yard sale, Aub had a Lemonade stand. She loved it and was very polite! She was super cute, it was fun to watch her!! ~ She made $5 off of her 25cent cups of lemonade! She was so tickled that she informed me she wants to sell lemonade everyday! HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #34 ♥

2010-07-23T20:16:00.000-10:00

Day #34 of project 365:

Honolulu

7/23/2010

(Overlooking Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #33 ♥

2010-07-22T20:15:00.002-10:00

Day #33 of project 365:

SHOE SALE

7/22/2010

(Today we had our 6 month dental cleanings and some other errand running around to do... We were walking through the PX on base, when a black pair of Converse Allstars, caught my eye on a 20% off table... So of course I had to stop and try some on... (I've seen several people wear them & I think they are so cute!) ~ I am now the new owner of Chuck Taylor Converse Allstars and I love them! Funny to think that all these older styles are coming back out!! ~ Cant pass on shoes, especially when they are on SALE!! I needed new tennis shoes anyways... Mommy is usually last to get new things, cause I'm always on the lookout for kiddo stuff!! So I am proud of myself for finding a good sale for myself this time! LOL)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #32 ♥

2010-07-21T16:30:00.000-10:00

Day #32 of project 365:
Facebook Games

7/21/2010

(Facebook has hundreds of games. I have played a few here and there, blocked several. I played Farmville for a few months and then deleted and blocked games and now the latest one that has me hooked is this darn Frontierville... HaHa, they are so silly, yet so addicting...)

♥~Michelle

P.S. I didnt take any pictures today, so I had to use this as a day filler!! :( bad Michelle... I know..

project 365 ~ Day #31 ♥

2010-07-20T17:00:00.000-10:00

Day #31 of project 365:

Catch...

7/20/2010

(I love this picture of my kiddos! They play so well together!! ~ Its not really that rough of a game, they were off and on their bikes, so they had their helmets on! HaHa...)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #30 ♥

2010-07-19T20:13:00.000-10:00

Day #30 of project 365:

Daddy Doll

7/19/2010

(Aub has had this Daddy Doll since our first deployment back in 2006... Daddy Doll has been carried and packed with us everywhere, when Daddy has been gone. Montana, California, Hawaii, every state in between... parades, lakes, beaches, sledding, you name it.. While Daddy Doll cant and doesn't replace Daddy, it has been a wonderful comfort for our daughter during our last 3 deployments and everything in between, when Daddy is working away from us. ~ However it is time to get another, cause Ry is clinging to it as well, this time around and Aub is pretty partial to hers..)

♥~Michelle

mommy phrases... ♥

2010-07-18T23:11:00.000-10:00

Raising 2 children, 22 months apart in age certainly brings a new adventure, experience and memory everyday. I love being a mother, I don't think there is anything more wonderful in this whole world. I am blessed to have the perfect pair, one girl and one boy. Its fun to watch them and see the differences in them. I definitely have opposites, a girly girl and a rough and tough little boy!

Watching them learn and grow is such a bittersweet thing. I sometimes wish I could keep them small, where they will always be in the need and want mommy stage. Where I can always keep them safe from the world, although I know they are going to grow up and start new adventures of their own someday, cause that's just life.

I think one of the hardest things about motherhood for me so far is how fast they have grown. Time certainly hasn't slowed down a bit. (It doesn't seem like my baby girl should be starting kindergarten next year!) Every age so far has brought on some kind of excitement in some way or another. I look forward to watching them learn and grow, just wish it didn't have to happen so fast.

As an active duty military spouse, when duty calls my hubby away I am the only parent in the house for weeks and months on end. The kids and I just take things one day at a time and we definitely have our ups and downs and sometimes some pretty interesting days. I think I use some of the same phrases on a daily basis and probably sound like a broken record!! Here are a few of the things I know I probably repeat on a daily basis, but the funny thing is, I remember my own mother saying a few of these things to me as well!! HaHa

"A bird is gonna come poop on your lip!"

(This one is usually I haven't used allot, but every once in awhile..)

"You're going to put your eye out
with that thing!"

(Usually said to my son, since he is our little dare devil, isn't afraid of anything and somehow always finds the dangerous part of any situation... years to come will probably be interesting with him! Ha)

"How many times do I have to tell you ...
Don't throw things in the house!"

(I know this is used more than once in an hour on a daily basis!!)

"Did you flush?"

(I'm constantly reminding my daughter to flush...)

"I hope someday you have children
just like you."

(This phrase I know I remember my mother saying

to me. I think I got a double dose of attitude in my

daughter alone though! lol)

"Don't talk with your mouth full!"

~ :) ~

"I'm going to give you
until the count of three."

(This phrase gets used allot on a daily basis too!

My kids are good and smart, but sometimes like to test mommy,

especially when daddy is gone.)

"Stop hitting your sister...
stop teasing your brother!"

(Another one that is repeated allot!!

If one isn't taunting the other, the other is picking at the opposite. HaHa)

Last but not least, my favorite thing to say over and over is:

"I LOVE YOU!"

(This one is used continual too.

XoXo I love hearing these 3 little words

from my children's mouths!)

♥~Michelle

P.S. I am sure there are more, but these are what comes to mind right now...

project 365 ~ Day #29 ♥

2010-07-18T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #29 of project 365:
GRILLING SKILLS!!
7/18/2010

(My grilling skills have gotten allot better in the last couple months! Haven't had anymore flame incidents and my kiddos sure eat their meat better when its not black and crispy! LOL)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #28 ♥

2010-07-17T16:00:00.000-10:00

Day #28 of project 365:

Carepackage #1

7/17/2010

(Put together our 1st carepackage this time around! Theme based on BIRTHDAY, since Hubby's birthday is in a couple weeks!! (complete with presents, cupcakes, candles, confetti, blow horns, hats, pictures, DVD of the kiddos and a few small goodies tucked in too!)

I love building themed carepackages. When duty calls and he has to be away from us, I try to send as much of the holidays and special times/events to him as I can!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #27 ♥

2010-07-16T18:00:00.000-10:00

Day #27 of project 365

Ewa Beach & Submarine

7/16/2010

(Today we met one of my hubby's cousins and her kiddos. We had a fun day at Ewa Beach, across the island from where we live... It was a great change of beach scenery, from the beaches we regularly go too! ~ We watched airplanes and jets land and take off at the Honolulu airport and Also got to see a submarine come up from under the water. It was so neat!! The kids ran, swam and played really hard. They loved meeting some of their cousins.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #26 ♥

2010-07-14T21:44:00.000-10:00

Day #26 of project 365:

PIZZA!!

7/15/2010

(Aub & Ry love pizza night!! They enjoy homemade pizza the most, cause they get to build and decorate their own personal pan size pizzas! Sometimes we use english muffins too!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #25 ♥

2010-07-13T22:05:00.000-10:00

Day #25 of project 365:

sidewalk chalk

7/14/2010

(... trip to Wal-Mart, $10.00. Sidewalk chalk $4.00. Hours of drawing, learning, laughter and exploring outside in the sunshine with my happy children, PRICELESS!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #24 ♥

2010-07-13T16:00:00.000-10:00

Day #24 of project 365:

clouds, clouds, clouds

7/13/2010

(I taught my kiddos to lay in the grass and watch clouds and tell me what they looked like... Oh the imaginations they have! Such an adventure we had, it was so fun!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #23 ♥

2010-07-12T11:54:00.000-10:00

Day #23 of project 365:

HIBISCUS

7/12/2010

(One of my favorite flowers and surrounded by them everyday here in paradise!! This is the bush that is right outside my house... Love it!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #22 ♥

2010-07-11T11:49:00.000-10:00

Day #22 of project 365:

BIG NO NO!!!

7/11/2010

(Had my first and hopefully last experience of my children exploring the outlets. They stuck both end of the bobby pin in the socket holes and kicked off our power. Mommy had to flip breakers and pull it out... BIG NO NO!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #21 ♥

2010-07-10T12:00:00.000-10:00

Day #21 of project 365:

pedal, pedal, pedal
7/10/2010

(We've been trying to get our little guy to pedal his trike... We wouldnt let his big sissy have a big girl bike, until she could/would pedal her trike, so we are trying to follow through with him too. Hopefully soon, he will be able to have a big boy bike, cause he's been doing good lately!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #20 ♥

2010-07-09T00:11:00.000-10:00

Day #20 of project 365:

Nieces

7/9/2010

(These are my oldest brother's little girls. Aren't my nieces precious? They are so so beautiful and growing up way too fast! I haven't seen them in person for over a year! Cant wait to see them sometime this fall!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #19 ♥

2010-07-08T18:11:00.001-10:00

Day #19 of project 365:

Gecko

7/8/2010

(Every so often we have a little gecko pet in our house, but lately we have allot of them and they seem to be smaller ones than usual. Maybe some were born in our house!! Hawaiians say they are good luck though, so I try to let them go about their own business, but every now and then they startle me and don't always make it! HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #18 ♥

2010-07-07T18:10:00.000-10:00

Day #18 of project 365:

HUBBY!!!

7/7/2010

(Hubby emailed me a couple pictures from his weekend... I miss him so much already and the deployment part of our separation hasn't even started yet!!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #17 ♥

2010-07-06T20:04:00.001-10:00

Day #17 of project 365:

Popsicles

7/6/2010

(What better way to spend the day with my 2 favorite people... Splashing in the water, with sunshine all around us, while enjoying a nice cold Popsicle! This is most usually a daily routine around our house! ;)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #16 ♥

2010-07-05T20:00:00.000-10:00

Day #16 of project 365:

Life's a Beach!!

7/5/2010

(Played in the sand, listened to the waves and swam in the salt water. A day spent at the beach is always so refreshing.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #15 ♥

2010-07-03T21:07:00.000-10:00

Day #15 of project 365:

Independence Day

7/4/2010

(We had a good 4th this year, although we missed Daddy. :(
We went to Pearl Harbor for a free military family carnival. They had rides, games, jump houses, freebie tents, lots of food, a car show, concerts, fireworks... giveaways(I entered to win several different gift cards, a trip to the Big Island for 2, a trip to Vegas for 2... so now I'm crossing my fingers, hoping maybe I'll win something!! HaHa!!) They handed out all sorts of odds and ends to all the kids..
My kids rode ride after ride and played games.. We stood in long lines for long periods of time in the hot sun, to ride ponies and little trains... (The things we do for our children!) We had allot of fun and my kiddos had a blast!
Grammy Award Winner Michelle Branch performed on stage and they had fireworks too.. )

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #14

2010-07-03T10:59:00.000-10:00

Day #14 of project 365:

Popcorn

7/3/2010

(After dinner tonight, we air popped popcorn and watched a couple Disney movies. The kiddos and I love fresh air popped popcorn over microwave popcorn and we always get a giggle out of the jumping kernels!)

♥~Michelle

Independence Day 2010 ♥

2010-07-02T13:07:00.000-10:00

Independence Day is my favorite Holiday! My eyes fill with tears every time I hear the National Anthem and my heart fills with pride every time I see my husband in uniform!
I am very proud to be an American & even more proud to be a USMC Wife! I love the Red, White and Blue and have so much respect for every brave man and woman who have and are serving and sacrifice so much for the land of the free!! Land of the free, because of the brave! ~ God Bless America and Support our Troops, cause freedom is not free!! ~ Thank a Veteran, cause freedom is not free!! ~ Hug a military spouse or child, cause freedom is not free!
Have a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend and don't forget what this holiday weekend is all about!!

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #13 ♥

2010-07-02T10:54:00.000-10:00

Day #13 of project 365:

sorting, packing, cleaning

7/2/2010

(More packing and adding to the pile...)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #12 ♥

2010-07-01T19:10:00.000-10:00

Day #12 of project 365:

Outlet Shopping

7/1/2010

(Spent the day with another mommy friend. Went to the Osh Kosh outlet for the kiddos, got some good buys on a couple new summer outfits... Also went to the Coach outlet. (my first time being in an actual Coach store) Ive never been very big into all the fashion big named handbags and such, but have wanted a Coach purse for awhile. I've seen a couple here and there that I have liked, but nothing that has really ever caught my eye until today. They were 70% off the regular price and I had another 20% of coupon... So I did it, I bought my first Coach purse today... Kinda feel guilty, I've never spent more than $20 on a purse in the past... But it was an AWESOME deal!! $300 off, hell yea!! I love my new purse!! Didn't know what my hubby would say, but he reacted really good. Said he was happy I found one I liked finally, as he had tried to get one for me in the past, but I was picky and some of them are just too fancy for me... I know we have paid about the same or more on golf clubs for hubby in the past, but just feel a little guilty about spending so much on a purse and I guess its just me maybe, cause hubby is fine with it. I'm not a huge shopper and don't usually spend allot of money on myself. In the past year I have been shopping only a handful of times, but always for the kiddos or groceries usually... So I guess it'll be okay and I do really like it.)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #11 ♥

2010-06-30T19:09:00.000-10:00

Day #11 of project 365:

6/30/2010

(2 pictures: 1 from the end of June 2009 and 1 from the end of June 2010. Not many differences, since they are both of me... But my hair is allot longer this year. Haven't had my hair this long since I was a little girl. I'm loving it though and all the different choices of hairstyles that I'm able to do with the length. ...I am also doing the happy dance!! Since this picture last year, I have dropped 15 pounds and 2 pant sizes!! YAYY me!! I am beside myself! I bought a pair of Hollister size 7 jeans last year and they were my goal to fit into! Well, I finally fit into them!! Granted it took a whole year, but all the smaller healthier portions, no alcohol, no soda and workouts are starting to pay off!! I feel great and love that I finally fit into my GOAL jeans!! I am still a little bigger than I was back in 2005; my pre-mommy days, but that's OK. I am happy with my size and weight, just gotta keep toning on my tummy... I love being a mommy and wouldn't trade it for the world and have accepted that I was blessed with being able to have children and my body wont ever be back to the exact way it was before. Which is totally fine and so worth every stretch mark, but I am also more comfortable in my summer clothes, now 15 pounds lighter, then I was a year ago and feel great! Feeling great is also wonderful for keeping up with my 2 energetic little munchkins!! (My babies are now 4 and 2)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #10 ♥

2010-06-29T13:56:00.000-10:00

Day #10 of project 365:

Belly Laughs

6/29/2010

(This morning we ventured out of the house to run some errands and since both of my kiddos were on their best behavior and very patient, I rewarded them with happy meals and some playtime at the super park!
The lady at McDonalds gave the kids these funny smiles and gosh did we get some belly laughs with them! We wore them and took lots of pictures, both kiddos and I were rolling and having a good time! Thank You McDonalds for the paper smiles, we had allot of fun with them today! Actually had more fun with the free paper smiles then we did the happy meal toys. HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #9 ♥

2010-06-28T21:25:00.000-10:00

Day #9 of project 365:

daddy's biggest fans...

6/28/2010

(Its actually hard to believe, but I didn't take one picture today with my camera. We had a lazy, cuddly, pajama, movie type day.

For today's project photo, I used 2 of my favorites that I have recently taken of our kiddos for Daddy. We are a very proud USMC family and usually always showing our pride and or support in some way or another. Just by chance I clicked a few of our little guy wearing daddy's hat the other day and it matched perfectly with his t-shirt. We go observe the big helicopters on base regularly, cause its one of Aub and Ry's favorite places to go. That is where our little lady's picture was taken and she usually has the cutest poses. ~ These are Daddy's two biggest fans!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #8 ♥

2010-06-27T20:12:00.000-10:00

Day #8 of project 365:

SPLASH!!!

6/27/2010

(We played in the pool for most of the late morning/early afternoon. I caught a little bit of sibling splashing on camera today! Thought this one was kinda funny! Sissy started the water splashing, but little brother got her good and was ready to do it again! HaHa)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #7 ♥

2010-06-26T18:39:00.000-10:00

Day #7 of project 365:

Icecream Cones

6/26/2010

(We like to make our own homemade ice cream cones with sprinkles on top! The kiddos like to help mommy build them!)

♥~Michelle

project 365 ~ Day #6 ♥

2010-06-25T18:44:00.000-10:00

Day #6 of project 365:

CHEESE!!

6/25/2010

(Can you tell my kiddos have never been in front of the camera!! When they see mommy behind the camera clicking, they like to really CHEESE it up!! LOL... I love these grins very much!!)

♥~Michelle