YIPPEE!

Hey Mr. Tax Man... I filed our taxes. I'm looking forward to that deposit you're gonna make!

Every year I stress about our taxes. I dread doing them. I'm getting better though. My goal was to finish them this past week, and I did it. Every year for the past few years I file them sooner and sooner after the new year. It's such a relief to scratch that off my to do list and to get that refund quicker! Love me some refund!

Who's next to get your money back? Get paid sooner... file today!

(several people ask me how I do them... TurboTax all the way!

It's easy and I can do them in my jammies!)

It's Raining Blessings

Y'all already know that we won an iPad2 this weekend at the BX. We entered a drawing with Stars and Stripes. They pulled our name out for the Grand Prize! It was shocking to say the least. We've all played with it and reality still hasn't set in. It's so pretty, fun and well just plain exciting.

No fast forward to tonight's dinner. I drop the kids off at Youth Group. Mark and I head to the Rocker NCO Club for Member's Night dinner. (Translation free dinner with some door prizes!) We think free dinner, we are in. I pick up our door prize ticket and hit the buffet.

While in line for the buffet they ask for 5 volunteers. I run up there with my plate in hand. The short version is I won the game and got a FREE iPod Shuffle!

They draw another number, not ours. The next number they call was ours! YES OURS! I can't believe it. Mark calmly walks up front to collect his prize... a Nintendo 3DS (red)!

Holy Toledo Batman, we've won 3 great prizes in the last 5 days. God is raining so many blessings upon us, I can't help but laugh and cry. I am amazed!

We obviously don't need the prizes we won tonight, we are tucking them away. Praying about what to do with them, whom to bless with them or whatever God calls us to do with them.

Lesson of the Day... rain is good, Raining Blessings is VERY GOOD!

Thank you Lord for all the blessings in my life, big and little!

Valentine's Dance

I just had to post this photo of Caleb and Dana. This photo was taken at the Valentine's Day Dance a few weeks ago. I can't get over how grown up these two look. They are friends from Youth Group and decided to go to the dance together. (there is nothing more between them, they are just friends!)

Yes I know, Caleb is wearing a t-shirt. It is a new one, and it is a Christian one if that makes a difference. It was a normal middle school dance. Some girls showed up in prom dresses, others (like my K80) wore jeans and a cute top. Boys wore mostly jeans and t-shirts. I think Mark said one or two actually had ties on, but he said they looked as though their mother's dressed them and was thankful that I wasn't mean like that!

Sorry for that bunny trial, back to the photo. Caleb looks like a teenager now. Seth too. What happened to my babies? I'm happy and I'm sad. Long gone are the days where I'd snuggle on the sofa with my kiddos, kissing their boo boos and singing them songs. Now it's helping with homework (that's way over my head), asking them politely to turn that music down and I'm going to bed before them most nights. I love them, they are growing into handsome strong men of God. For that I'm very thankful.

I love this season in our lives, but some days I wish I could hold them on my lap one more time or kiss them on their forehead without hearing ... "Really mom, I'm too old for that!"

More Funnies on Okinawa!

Just a few things I've seen on Okinawa that make me smile!

Mark loves this car, every time he sees this he has the urge to run up to the window and yell "Kiss Me my name's Mark!" I have yet to see him do this but if he ever does I'll put sure to post photos about it!

Really Snow/Ice Scrappers for sale on Okinawa... at the base exchange!? Really? I'm sure the thought was to purchase them for gifts for people back home but who's gonna pay $5 for an ice scraper that will cost $15 to ship home to the states... Just sayin'!

Last but not least some poor local asked for an "I love Okinawa" sticker and got this! I felt sorry for them, but they did get what they asked for!

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more weird things from this side of the pond!

ANOTHER FUN PARK SIGN

What does this sign tell us about the park... let's list them out!

1. 
   
   No Loud Music


2. 
   
   No Picking Flowers & No Littering


3. 
   
   Dogs Are NOT Allowed to Bite Kids Butts


4. 
   
   No Scooter Riding


5. 
   
   No Golfing or Hitting Birds with Golf Clubs


6. 
   
   No Breaking the Benches


7. 
   
   No Fireworks


8. 
   
   No Cook Outs...


9. 
   
   No Eating or Drinking

So Please tell me what can we do at the park? At least they didn't have the sign about guns and pooping dogs. I love the elegant humor of the sign makers here! You'd never see a sign like this in the states.

Tomorrow I'll show you some photos from the parks we found today!

I love

Valentine's Day may have been a few days ago but today I'd like to share with you just a few things that I love. (they are in no particular order so no judging!)


My dear sweet adorkable husband
dryer sheets
a warm breeze on a cool morning
Okinawa sunsets
Caleb's demonic giggle
Peanut M&M's
orchids
fresh cut grass
a clean desk
my steam mop
flip flops
laughter
creative thoughts
homecoming memories
listening to Seth play is trumpet
holding hands with my children
driving on the right side of the road
dirty kids
fuzzy socks
a clean house
meaningful momentos
sea glass
singing to old music on the radio, it totally embarasses my kids
iPhones they allow me to text friends in the states
the sound of a babbling brook
the smell of woods after a fresh rain
Coke Icees
snuggling with my Junior
the color of Mark's eyes
old photographs
campfires
sunshine
clean bed sheets
ice cold water
my king size bed
my health
my wedding ring
the pitter patter of tiny feet
clean kids
bear hugs
pure silence
grace


What are some things you love?

ReEnlistment

February 10, 1993 Mark enlisted into the Marines. Exactly 19 years later on February 10th, 2012 Mark reenlisted in the Marines for another 4 years.

This was his fourth reenlistment. I was at his first one and this one.

Sadly I missed the last two. His second reenlistment ceremony was on his second Med Float MEU deployment. His third reenlistment was at MARSOC (neither one of us can remember why I wasn't at that one!).

So many people have asked us why we (meaning Mark and not me) reenlisted for another 4 years. I'll be honest it was a very difficult decision. We spent the last three months praying about this ginormous life moment. We didn't enter into this lightly to say the least. We weighed all the pros and cons. Talked about it endlessly and sought advice from many people.

Most everyone pointed us in the direction of getting out... think about all the money and freedom you'll have in the civilian world. You'll live closer to family, you have more options. The list went on and on as to why to get out. The only thing people said about staying in was it was safe. Meaning you're making a good decision because it's scary out here with the state of the economy, and the unemployment rate is so high. After a lot of prayer and deep discussions with God we decided we'd allow Him to make the decision for us.

For years Mark has said as long as he's having fun (in the Marines) he's staying in. I said, when he decided to make a career out of it after his third enlistment, he wasn't 'allowed' to retire until he was a Master Guns. God reiterated three things to us... first of all Mark you're still having FUN! Secondly you need another rocker on that collar! and thirdly... "I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind!" (2 Timothy 1:7) You don't make decisions out of fear, you make them because of the Word living in you. So there you go... that's why WE (yes I said we because the kids and I are in this with him) reenlisted into the Marines for another 4 years, taking us to 23 years serving our great Corps and Country!

I had to put this picture on here... Mark's boot camp photo.

He looks just as mean now as he did then.

The Things Daughters Do...

Basically we have the same routine every night, showers before bed. When one child is done they scream downstairs to alert the next kid to head on in. It's a easy system and it works for us.

Last night Katie bellows down for Caleb. A few minutes later I hear, "Mom, can you help me?" It was one of those voices that said come now but don't panic. So I left my enticing game of Words with Friends to check on my sweet sweet Junior.

What do you think I found when I got to the top of the steps? K80 standing wrapped in her bath towel next to her door holding a bobby pin. "I think I locked myself out of my room!"

A good mom response is, "Okay, no big deal. How did you do that?" (I must tell you I was a good mom and that WAS the question I asked, very politely with much curiosity!)

Her answer will amaze you.... "I wanted to test my lock picking skills, I guess I'm not very good at it!"

Running thru my head was, right now while you're standing there naked under a towel is when you decided to test your lock picking skills. All righty then!

I tried to pick it. Nope. Mark tried to pick it. Nope. We (meaning ME) went up and down the steps no less than 10 times trying to find anything that would allow us to open the door. After about 15 minutes we were in!

She cried, I tried not to laugh. It really wasn't a big deal but it makes me laugh at some of the stuff she tries to do.

Note to self... get a door key! (a bobby pin, credit card, 6 different screw drivers, a knife and an awe do not work so well!)... neither does kicking it, or Crying but that's another tale to tell!

Prices are on the RISE!

Today I went to the commissary!

Prices are rising at a rapid rate and it's getting out of control!
One 3/4 gallon of milk (NOT A WHOLE GALLON) is $4.27!
2 Green Peppers Normal size cost me $4.00 ($2.00 EACH!)

One (1) stinkin' cucumber was $.75!

I'm so looking forward to FRESH veggies and inexpensive ones when we get to the states! Oh the variety we'll have!

I budget $250 for groceries every two weeks. Something inside me told me last night to add $50 to the budget when I was working on it. I didn't listen. Today, I spent $231.45 at the commissary. Aside from fresh produce this will last us til next payday. No need to worry about fresh produce cause we ain't ever eatin' it again!

Next payday I'll be sure to listen to my gut and up that budget for food!

Mark's MRI

.My sweet always jovial happy go lucky Mr. Sexy Pants is hurting. He injured his shoulder almost 5 months ago and yesterday he finally had an MRI. This MRI included a huge dye filled needle that was stuck into his beautiful right shoulder. Oh the agony, his pain level afterwards and discomfort it caused was more than we had expected. Pray the pain goes away and that this procedure will reveal the necessary steps needed to bring him back into complete health.