Sibling Love

Anyone want to share?

Ironically, the number of this photo is 143.

What's more ironic?

They are currently fighting.

Ahhhhhh...sibling love.

Figure It Out Friday

I am the author of 3 blogs.

3.

Why?

Well, I started our family blog for the obvious.  Being a military family away from friends and fam, I started it to keep everyone updated.  Except, I failed to realize that also being a military family, you run into slumps...most noticeably when you're a "single married spouse/mom" (SMS/M) and/or the computer is in a different room on a different floor in your house away from your kids.  Also, when I have the time to blog, I'd rather spend it with my husband with whom I've probably spent 1/2 of our relationship actually being in his physical presence.  I also didn't want to clutter our family blog with my own personal stuff since well, it's our family blog.

Besides my family, my passion is cooking and eating.  So, I started my food blog.

Since I'm starting to lose steam, time, and energy on giving the appearance of maintaining three...I'm going to simplify and put everything on this bad boy...with the exception of my food blog which I'll just double post on both blogs,  so any foodies won't have to read my ramblings & babblings...except in my food posts.

Which means, I'll still be blogging with the same frequency...which is occasionally.

So there.

11 years...

05.26.99

USNA

Annapolis, MD

11 years since he first put on his officer shoulder boards and almost 13 years in...

...so much for "Five & Dive" 

(for all the civvies, we thought he'd serve his 5 year commitment and be out).

I can't even begin to count how much of our 11+ years together you've been in a tube under the sea or just in the tube docked at the pier...missing birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, entire seasons, scary moments, sad moments, happy moments, days/weeks/months of our children's lives, and narrowly missing the birth of our first child (and the ensuing hurricane).

I'm thankful for all that you do...without complaints.

I'm grateful that you never undermine the role of a military spouse, especially a submariner's wife, and how much we go through as "single married spouses/parents" in an isolated and secretive world.

I'm so proud of you and all that you do for us and our country.

Thank you.

I love you.

Mom n' Me Monday

Jumping on Julie's Mom n' Me Mondays' bandwagon where she had the fabulous idea of encouraging parents who are the main family photographer to put themselves in photos occasionally...

...made easier by purchasing one of these handy little bad boys:

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control

Taking advantage of the annual free tix from Busch Gardens/Sea World (of which this would be the SECOND time we have taken advantage of the deal despite living within in driving distances of two of its major parks for the entire 5 years the program has existed)...and not having my point-and-shoot, we took a pre-Busch Gardens family photo since I was not going to bring my newest baby with me to an amusement park.

So, here it is:

Pop over to Julie's blog to check it out and to participate!

ATTN: Military & HOV in Hampton Roads

In case you're active duty or know someone who is, military personnel may now use the HOV lanes to or from a military facility in Hampton Roads.  Now that The Hubs has more "normal" working hours, he's a bit happier that his commute will be easier.

Check it out here.


**UPDATE:  The Federal Govt. struck down this legislation despite state approval since they hold jurisdiction over interstates.  Boooooooooooooo.

Figure It Out Friday...

It's been a while...so, I apologize to my one reader...and by one, I mean the spammer who likes leaving me messages in Chinese.  Dude, my family left China a long time ago.  Not building-the-railroads long time ago, but several generations back.

Anyhoo...one of my new favorite reads is Julie's blog @ The Peanut Gallery...Exit Here.  Her family had a newly adopted pet duck this past spring and named him Buck.  That reminded me of last year.

Right before my sweet baby niece was born, we had a little arrival of our own:

That's a frikkin' unfathomable amount of offspring for one female, but she did it.  We watched them grow, beg for food from us, come up on our deck and return our food (albeit in a different form than it was originally given and through a different outlet), use my SUV simultaneously as a shelter AND a restroom, and mature from cute furry little things to these:

Do you see the dinosaur resemblance?  I have never seen such "interesting" ducks outside of this area.  By "interesting" I also mean who hit these ducks with the ugly stick?

Although the number of our duck family significantly dwindled from 18 to a core group of 6, the circle of life continues...on the side of our house, no less:

Have a great weekend!

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day

To all the military spouses doing what you do (and if you have children, often as a "single married spouse" doing the work of two people 24/7 for most of the year), without complaints (although you're definitely allowed the occasional vent), and sometimes without the credit you truly deserve...


Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!