Halloween 2008

This evening the whole family got in our van and headed to Carney Park which is located inside the crater of an extinct volcano. Spooktacular 2008 included a haunted house, lots of food booths, train rides, a Halloween musical, and cabin after cabin of trick or treating. This was my first time attending and I must say the crowds at times were a little too much, especially when you have a stroller to push everywhere. In all we had lots of fun!!!

Here are the kids: Lesley (80's girl), Noah (Crusader), and Gabe (Sleeping Beauty Prince)

Trick or treating

Noah with one of the many creatures out this evening


Gabe making us laugh


Halloween tattoos and below making a scary face while showing off his paper bag pumpkins we made the other day.

Play date and costume party...

Yesterday we went to Janet's house to help prepare some Peruvian food for her son's birthday party. Kashia stopped by also and while the kids played we talked and helped with the food. I use the word helped loosely because Kashia and I basically sampled Janet's papas rellenos.LOL They are so good and tasty I need to get her recipe.




Today was the birthday/costume party at the base community center. Janet had a great Peruvian spread for the adults and typical kid favorites like hot dogs, fruit, and veggies. Can you believe it she even had a DJ for her one year old's party. He provided most of the entertainment for the adults. Gabe had lots of fun and thoroughly wore himself out by 6p.m. I'm just as tired as he is so I'm off to bed.
Ciao,
Stephanie

Updated to include pics....................................................

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Wordless Wednesday.....

Noah 2004

5 things....

" 5 Things" Game -The rules are to write 5 things under each of the headings.

10 years ago.....

1. I was 25 yrs. old and living in Virginia.

2. Noah was 5 months old and we were adjusting to sleepless night.

3. I was attending college part time and taking evening classes.

4. Our family of friends included the Campos, Hall, Gutierrez, and Potraz families.

5. I finally learned how to drive a standard car.





5 things on todays "to-do" list:

1. Cook and prepare burritos for dinner.

2. Clean the house and fold laundry.

3. Work out for at least 1.5 hrs. at the base daycare gym.

4. Make and paint a brown bag pumpkin with Gabe .

5. Organize my calendar.

5 snacks I enjoy:

1. Kashi honey almond flax bars

2. a handful of almonds

3. ice cream/ gelato {this is my weakness ....yummy }

4. fruit

5. peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread w/ honey & cinnamon








5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:

1. Pay off our debt and that of my family/ some friends

2. Give a lot of money to the Catholic church.

3. Buy a new house, car, clothes, shoes, etc

4. Invest and build our already exsisting portfolio

5. Travel more than I already do

5 places I've lived:

1. California

2. Texas {born & raised there}

3. North Carolina

4. Virginia

5. Italy- where I currently call home

5 jobs I have had or still have:

1. grocery store cashier
2. Olive Garden hostess/ cashier
3. Sears customer Service
4. Bank teller
5. Mommy- my most important job

Navy Ball 2008

Last night we made the most of our night at the Navy Ball. Our table had a great time and we laughed, ate, and drank lots of wine. Good Times I tell ya....the only thing is that there wasn't any music until 11 p.m.. We so wanted to dance much earlier than that. Besides all the laughing and great company the most memorable moment, besides hijacking the chaplin's camera and taking some crazy pitures with it, is when the Navy band played Taps and we all payed tribute to the troops who have given their lives or whose status is MIA or KIA. They had an empty table fully set just for them. It makes you so grateful and thankful for the freedom that we have.
Here are some pics from last night:

Here are Jennifer, myself, Melody, and Greg's wife (for the life of me I can't remember her name.)
This pic was taken either when I told Greg he should be John McCain for Halloween or we were discussing the spinach flan that looked like a spinach turd instead. LOL

Here is our good friend...Miguel (he's like a little brother)
Toshi and Melody clowning around.LOL

Greg and his wife making us laugh.

U.S. Navy Medical Service Corp Officers

Toshi and Melody
me

The tailor has delivered the goods.....

Yesterday the tailor was to have had my navy ball dress ready, but when I went to pick it up I was told it wasn't ready. Mind you I took the dress in over a week ago. I was a bit worried, but they wanted to make sure the dress was the perfect length so they had me try the dress on again. I was not expecting this so I did not have my heels in tow. Well as I stood in front of the mirror standing high above everyone else in my dress Gabriel blurted out the sweetest thing that had me grinning from ear to ear. He said with his eyes wide as can be "Mommy you look like princess" :D Ahhh...chucks thanks Gabe. He totally melts my heart my little man.

Alas, I was back in the tailor shop again today and my dress is ready just in time for the navy ball tomorrow evening. Yipee!

On another note yesterday Gabe had a dentist appt. with Dr Cabassa. Let me tell ya I did everything to prepare him for the visit. We read books about the dentist, he watched his older siblings get their teeth cleaned last week, and we explained was going to happen. He wasn't having it though. I knew he was going to yell his head off and sure enough that's what happened during the first fifteen minutes of the appointment. Luckily the dental clinic is within the naval hospital because hubby walked over from his office in the lab to help out. Dr. Cabassa was very gentle and extremely patient with Gabe. His tenderness calmed Gabe down before long and his teeth were cleaned. No cavities...yay!! As I was putting him in his car seat he said, "I like the dentist mommy.....I come back again" Silly boy!!

Here's my little guy playing at the park yesterday.

Ciao

Wordless Wednesday....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Wordful Wednesday..............

One of my absolute favorite pics of my three kiddos was taken earlier this year while we were vacationing in Bayeux, France. As we were driving thru the countryside we kept seeing fields and fields of these yellow flowers. A sea of yellow every where. We pulled off the main road and stopped in a field and started taking pictures. Here are few snap shots we got that day and after we left Paris heading towards Normandy.




Here they are on the side of the road looking at cows. Gabe loved watching the cows.





Lastly, a pic of just a portion of our scenic drive.

In his own words....

Colin Powell eloquently expresses exactly how I think and feel.

Ciao,
Stephanie

Summary of our week........

It seems even though I spent so much time on the computer this week I never got around to posting. So here's a bulleted post of my week.
** Monday~ Noah was picked up from Carney Park early in the morning. He camped out with Jack and a few friends there the night before. Trent was off and we pretty much spent the day at home. Jason came over and hung out for a couple of hours.
** Noah had a doctor's appt. on Tuesday. He twisted his ankle at Jack's sleep over and I had Dr. Odell take a look at it. Turns out the x-ray did not show any damage so we ate a late lunch at the food court. Lesley stayed after school for Algebra tutoring.
** On Wednesday Gabe and I attended our Kindermusik class. He really enjoys the class. Afterward, we went to Baskin Robbins for a treat and had lunch at Subway with Trent. We had a scheduled conference with Noah's Social Studies teacher at noon. As we were on our way to the school my cell phone rang, it was the school nurse informing me that Noah was in her office sick. He had thrown up all over himself. I picked him up from the nurse's office and Trent met with Mr. Hood for the conference.
**Noah stayed home from school on Thursday and Friday. I also got my Navy Ball dress and other items I ordered online this week . I love my dress.
** I worked out and watched movies we rented. Tonight Lesley is at her homecoming dance. We ordered her dress from Macy's and she looked so beautiful in it. This is the first formal dance she's attended. She is growing up so fast....too fast. My little girl isn't little anymore:-}

Well my friends I'm off to watch the boys play the Wii.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Change.........

I'm sending my absentee ballot off...alas if only my husband & I could see eye to eye :D. He's still undecided STILL... Maybe I can influence him though. A piece of boo-tay holds a lot of power ya know!! LOL Anyway this is all I've got to say about my vote and I proudly stand by it!!!

Wordless Wednesday....

Okay this isn't so wordless. =0) This picture was taken at the San Antonio Zoo when we recently visited in July.

My heart....

Happy Birthday honey!!! Even though you're a year older today I'll always be older & wiser by 15 months. :-D Can you believe we are in our mid-thirties??? Where has the time gone? I'm so grateful for all that you do and I couldn't be more prouder {that word looks funny to me} !! Wishing you a year filled with good health, joy, love, and renewed faith in God.

I Love you always,
Stephanie

This morning we woke up to no electricity and water. It appears the really bad thunder storm we had last night was to blame. Our landlord Mario came over and fixed the problem with in an hour. I slept in so it didn't affect me that much. The sore throat I had the other day has gotten worse and my head feels like exploding. I haven't had much energy today thus I've been resting my body most of the day. Hopefully I'll be back to my normal self so I can use the new elliptical trainer Trent bought on Wednesday. Well I'm off to the couch again to rest and watch the Sex in the City movie.

Ciao,

Happy Birthday sissy.........

Happy 29th Birthday Jennifer. You're the best...........at least most of the time when you aren't being a big brat and trying to get your way because you're the baby of the family!! LOL ;-D

I love you bella...bella.

Girls night out.....

Tonight my friends Kashia, Evangelina, Sue, Janet, and I went to see the movie Mamma Mia. It was a great movie and by the end of it we were singing along to all of the songs. Afterwards Janet, Sue, and I headed to Applebees for some drinks and a light dinner. We all agreed we need get out more often sans the kiddos. Most of us still have until 2010 here with the exception of Kashia who is moving to Germany in December. I wish she wasn't moving because she is such a joy to know. She is from Poland and makes the BEST beef stew I've ever had. I'm not a big consumer of beef, but let me tell you her cooking is amazing.

I am getting sick....I can feel it in my throat. Hopefully I'll get good sleep tonight.

Ciao