Kevin and Kristen

In November we...

2011-12-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

Attended our sixth ball in celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday and had a fabulous time!

Reunited with fellow dancing queen, Joelle!

Attended an amazing birthday party with a petting zoo and rides on a pony with pink(and purple glitter) hair! Amelia LOVED the bunnies and followed them around the yard almost the entire time. Kristen LOVED the potbelly piglets and briefly entertained the idea of one as a pet. Briefly.

Dressed up as a turkey for the fall music program at Mae's school. Gobble, gobble!

Learned sudoku on Grampa Hone's computer!

Made and ate a super-cute gingerbread girl with Gramma Lizzie! Thank you for the fun, Gramma Jonnie!

Celebrated Amelia's 2nd birthday!

Got an early start with the Christmas spirit!

This October we...

2011-11-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

Became members and dedicated Amelia at our new church, Vineyard of Grace. She was super squirrely, but we expected that as it was a long time coming! Our pastor, Greg, found poems written by two poets born on her birthday, the church gave her flowers, and the prayers were beautiful.

Visited a pumpkin patch in 90 degree weather, ehhh! It was definitely NOT a legitimate pumpkin patch visit, as we were sweating and there was no need for hot apple cider or donuts to warm us up, but we had a blast with Auntie Jo, Andrew and Jacob and bounced galore in the multiple bouncy houses available!!

Decorated Auntie Meg's famous pumpkin cookies with friends. This might have been the day Amelia realized her love for M&Ms...she is OBSESSED!

Spent a LOT of time outside because it had FINALLY cooled off!

Welcomed our Oki friends, Jacqueline (pictured left of Mimi), Auntie Maria and Mr. Andre for a weekend visit.

Went to the Texas State Fair!!!! It was an awesome day to listen to the USMC Drum and Bugle Corps, people watch, ride a couple carnival rides, and gorge ourselves on deep fried Snickers, deep fried salsa, and a deep fried Smores Poptart (notice the trend?!).

Carved pumpkins. Of course, Kristen did most of the dirty work as Mae has a thing against getting her hands slimey, but aren't they great?! Mae drew the design on the pumpkin on the right by herself and that was the best one on the block!

Toured the stockyards in Fort Worth with Gramma Lizzie and Grampa Brett. We happened to hit the stockyards during a cowboy convention and it was too cool. That might have been the day that Kristen turned Texan (or as close as a Yankee girl can get!). Can you guess what's on her Christmas list? Mae got to sit on a long-horn ("Dad, give the man some money and put me on a real [cow]!") and feed goats with Gramma Lizzie (below).

This last picture is our single shot from Halloween. Mae chose a ballerina outfit from her dress-up bin and Amelia fell asleep at 6:30! It was a quiet, early night for us all!

So far this September...

2011-09-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

We've been eating cupcakes nearly every week! Mae had a hankering, so we made these at home. Our favorites, though, have been from two Dallas cupcakeries, GiGi's and Sprinkles, that our fab friend and auntie, Caitlin, steered us towards. Double YUMMM!

We had the Sidwells over for chili and Mae and Jaiden decided to go to "the planetarium" and nominated me as the teacher. Well, the teacher was washing dishes so she pointed to Kevin and designated him as the bus driver to the museum. God love him for taking it literally!!!

Amelia discovered that she could fit inside the pantry...

We're exploring the trail by our home that leads to this elementary school park...

"I'm sorry, babe, I don't know how that happened." HA! I was sorting through files and Kevin was coloring with the girls and, evidently, was TOO focused on his own picture to notice that Mimi had chosen her dress as her canvas! Gotta love that mug.

Then, the next day, Amelia fished the outfit out of the dirty clothes basket to put it on over her dress! I think she's spending too much time with her big sis!!

And, best of all, we've reunited with awesome friends from Oki!! Here's Mae with her long-lost Auntie Jo.

First Day of Preschool!

2011-09-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

Having just arrived home the night before from our trip north, it was amazing how happy and excited Mae was to wake up at 6:30 AM yesterday for her first day of preschool in TX!

This is the outfit she picked out the night before, surprisingly coordinated ...the sassy pose was a last minute accessory. :)

Mae had an awesome first day and, although she REALLY didn't want to wake up this morning, a fabulous second day as well. We are very proud of our big girl!

It's Moving Day!

2011-06-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

I started tearing up (AGAIN!) as I watched the movers pack up our living room just now, and it wasn't because the sound of constant packing tape was hurting my ears (REALLY loud by the way). Honestly, the water works started because one gentleman was packing a table that our friend Jeremy made us as a wedding gift and he was so careful in the packing of it. In contrast, the American movers that moved us from Texas to Okinawa ripped off the top of that same table to fit it in a crate and I had to have it repaired while on island.

I am going to miss Okinawa so much for its honesty, simplicity, respect, and safety. You may think that I should be watching these movers like a hawk, or at least that I would have something better to do, but I don't! Kevin is occupying the girls at McDonalds and I have nothing but my thoughts and roller coaster emotions to keep me occupied. The Japanese gentlemen truly are that, gentlemen, and I am so grateful.

4 more days and then it's FLYING DAY!

It's Fort Worth, Texas or BUST!

2011-06-04T16:34:00.001-07:00

We FINALLY received our travel itinerary this week! We will say an official "Sayonara!" to Okinawa this coming Saturday, June 11th. After spending about one week in Ft. Worth choosing a house to rent and buying cell phones and a TRUCK (!), we will take a few weeks of R&R in Atlanta with Grandma Heather, Grandpa Mike and Nikki. Then around July 8th(ish), we will either go back to Texas to check in, or finish our leave with a few weeks of family and friends in Chicago.

Getting our itinerary was like pulling teeth; Kevin had to make several calls each day and for weeks and it took hanging out at the travel office with A LOT of serious eye contact to make it happen. :) It was almost as hard as waiting for our orders. But, we have a saying in the military, "Hurry up and WAIT!" and a saying isn't a "saying" for nuthin.

The light at the end of our PCS journey is leave (vacation time) with Kevin. I've often thought that in order for the girls and I to see him, we'd have to be in the move process and, through all the errands and stress and rigamarole!, I am grabbing as many amazing moments as I can. To that end, please pray that we have LOTS and LOTS of those wonderful moments and that our leave is what we need it to be as a family. We CAN'T wait to reunite with ALL of you. Lots of love and see you soon!

First of the "Lasts"

2011-06-03T05:17:00.000-07:00

Kristen celebrated her last coffee with the Sumos on Cinco de Mayo. Hosted by Carly and Andromache, it was a fabulously fun end to three years of Sumo spouse shenanigans...especially because Crystal (above) dive-bombed Kristen to get all the pinata goodies! SHENANIGANS!

God love her! Maria wasn't shy with that bat! It should be in the defense budget; every military spouse should be supplied with a pinata and bat yearly. :)

Kristen and Cole - SO happy to have survived Okinawa still smiling!

YUM!!! Gotta love the Texas shaped chip bowl! Thank you SUMO SPOUSES!

Kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day), May 5th

2011-06-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Originally called Boy's Festival, Kodomo-no-hi was renamed Children's Day in 1945. In celebration of the health of all children, families in Japan fly carp streamers (koi noborubi) outside their homes. Carp have the strength to swim up waterfalls and have long been taken as symbols of success in life. According to a Chinese legend, the carp swam upstream to turn into a "strong and healthy" dragon. Parents hope that their children will become strong and confident as they endure obstacles throughout their life.

Mae celebrated Kodomo-no-hi in school this year by creating a carp streamer and making sushi (marshmallows with Twizzlers stuck in the middle). Although she's not such a fan of marshmallows, she had a GREAT day. We all enjoyed seeing our last week of "flying carp" all over Okinawa this May!

Happy Easter!

2011-05-03T22:45:00.001-07:00

Amelia is such a big girl sitting up to the table!

While the big kids goofed around the ginormous turtle statue, Amelia preferred to hang out with her new bff, "LuLu"! (you can see Lucy's car seat to the right of Amelia)

The big kids - Mae, Jacqueline, and Jaiden - posing in front of an odd planter...Happy Easter!

To celebrate our final Easter on Okinawa, we met some of our great friends at the Butler Officers' Club for brunch. Here's the best family shot - there's Little Stuff in the corner!

Happy Birthday, Mae!

2011-04-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

Mae turned four this past Friday and we celebrated that morning with a very simple, small, and FUN party with friends. She had requested a flower themed birthday, so it was easy enough to find party goods and a couple of activities to keep the kids entertained...

Everyone took a whack at the flower pinata, but it took the moms (Kendra and Kristen) to knock it down and bash (yes, bash!) it open!

Scavenging commenced immediately...

and the kids put their loot in paper bags that Mae had decorated with each of their names.

Then, the kids gathered at the table to decorate their own flower shaped cookies. Mae LOVES frosting. She will actually leave the cupcake and only eat the frosting. So, I thought I'd give her the best birthday treat she could imagine...as much frosting as she could squeeze onto her cookie. I think there were several rounds of licking. Ewww.

Awww, THAT's a happy birthday girl!

2011-04-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Mae's 4th birthday with our most of our Oki family this morning (a few are stateside already) and had a blast. We managed to get all the kids to sit on "the bus" for a picture (Lucy's too little for the bus, though!)...

A big thank you to our fabulous friends for making Mae's birthday morning so sweet! More pictures to come...

Mae's turning 4!!

2011-04-19T14:57:00.000-07:00

When I dropped Mae off at school on Monday, her teacher had this fabulous birthday hat and necklace for her to wear for the day (they celebrated her big day on Monday because yesterday was their Easter program and tomorrow there is no school). She was so excited; it was too cute! I pulled away from the curb and got all choked up! I love her so much and the two of us have come a long way. I suppose it all hit me at once. More birthday pictures to come!

Welcome, Baby Lucy!

2011-04-17T22:50:00.001-07:00

My friend Kendra and I co-hostessed an "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!" welcome baby party this past Saturday for mom Nicole and Baby Lucy Claire (my new God-daughter!). Kendra graciously opened her home and was the genius behind much of the wonderful fun. Here are our beautiful guests of honor!

We had a delicious brunch spread, chocolates wrapped in "Lucy Claire" wrappers, and an amazing rainbow cake.

As you can see, the cake looked simple and elegant on the outside...

and most colorful on the inside! How fun is that?! (and delicious, too!)

Kendra created this montage of pictures and quotes to celebrate the newest addition to our Oki family.

Lucy is absolutely perfect and completely adorable!

Some of the party-goers (Lucy's Aunties): Kristen, Kendra (hostess with the mostess) and Nic (Rainbow Cake baker extraordinaire!)

Kristen and Cole

Cole and Auntie Crystal

I couldn't have been happier...holding and feeding that sweet baby girl, who was doing so good to give her mom a break! I didn't want to share don't ya know, but we'll have many more moments in Fort Worth!

Auntie Maria and Auntie Nic

It was a fabulous morning and a blessing to surround Nicole and her sweet baby girl with all our friendship and love for two big kid-free hours! Welcome to the world, Lucy!

1 morning, 2 great parks!

2011-04-10T22:51:00.001-07:00

Saturday was gorgeous, so we decided to take advantage of the sun and try a couple parks our friends had recommended. The first one was a giant Shisa!!! It had a slide down its front paw and a slide out the "rear". Both girls got plenty of wiggles out climbing out and in and down and up!

Amelia LOVED the slides, but wore Kevin and Kristen out who had to tag team getting her to the top of them.

On the other hand, Mae was quite the independent climber don't ya know! And only because I've been asked recently, I will state for the record one last time...yes, Mae dresses herself.

If you look closely, you can see Kevin and Mae in the mouth of the Shisa. Too fun!

A couple of blocks down, we found another park with giant trees (man-made) connected by bridges and "root" tunnels as well as other fun equipment. Here, Kristen and Amelia take a turn on a teeter totter.

Amelia can't stand swings...HA! :)

What's the perfect way to end a morning on Okinawa? A great big bowl of soba!!!

Happy Easter, Sumos!

2011-04-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

The squadron Easter party/egg hunt was held this past Friday and we had a great time, especially because Kevin flew back in time to join us for the last hour!! The fun began with bowling at the alley on Futenma. Mae, here hugging one of her best buds "Jack -o -lene", managed a few great shots, whereas Amelia just wanted to run down the lanes.

Check out the "up" socks!

Yes, I am carrying Amelia like a football. She was so mesmerized by all the aircraft flying around that she wasn't paying attention and I was worried that she'd get run over. Apparently, an egg hunt is serious business if you're a big kid! Anyway, Mae got quite a loot and held her own on the field.

Some of our Oki family sorting through all the eggs. Happy Easter, Sumos!

Congratulations, Meghan and Mark!

2011-04-03T04:51:00.000-07:00

Here's the happy couple the night before their big day, celebrating at a phenomenal tapas restaurant. I had dreams of bacon wrapped dates that night...who knew?!

Meghan's dress was absolutely beautiful and she looked GORGEOUS on her big day. Isn't she lovely?! Here's the best full-length picture I have and, at the bottom of the post, is a shot of her amazing up-do.

She was perfectly radiant and I was perfectly thrilled to be there! (We weren't sure until a day or two before my scheduled flight that Kevin would be able to take leave and that it would be safe for me to travel.)

Thank God (and Meghan!) for bridesmaid dresses with sleeves in March in Chicago!! Here we are, (from left) Elenid, Kate, me, Meghan, Colleen (Meg's sister), and Emily, looking fabulous and having too much fun standing up for Meghan and Mark. :)

Speaking of too much fun...!

Congratulations to the Bride and Groom!

III MEF Marines Provide Assistance in Wake of Earthquake, Tsunami in Japan

2011-03-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Kevin left Saturday morning with the SUMOS to help with disaster relief in mainland Japan. It's his plane being loaded and taking off in the video and you also catch a glimpse of him in the first few seconds. Please keep the people of Japan as well as all those providing assistance in your prayers! It's really bad up there.

We're okay!

2011-03-11T04:48:00.001-08:00

Thank you for the concerned phone calls, but we are okay! We haven't even felt a tremor. We actually wouldn't have known about the earthquakes and tsunami that affected mainland Japan if it weren't for poor cellular service this afternoon and subsequent emails from more informed friends on island.

We will keep you updated!

International Orchid Festival, Expo Park

2011-02-18T23:43:00.001-08:00

Mae and Jaiden expertly climbing the blue nets at Expo Park, Nago. When we first arrived on island, these two weren't even walking!

A BIG THANK YOU to Jaiden's wonderful great-grandmother, who knitted Mae and Amelia amazingly cute owl hats just like Jaiden's!

Story of my life...

Nicole and Kristen loaded up the kids and headed north last weekend to catch the International Orchid Festival at the Tropical Dream Center in Expo Park, Nago. Really, it just seemed like a great way to pass those tough weekend hours without the hubbies...and it was! Mae and Jaiden got their wiggles out while Amelia walked around bowing to everyone and saying, "Hai!" The moms got to talk ALL day and we all saw some gorgeous flowers.

Super Bowl Brunch!

2011-02-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

Aunt Colie invited Amelia and Kristen over for brunch on Super Bowl Monday and it was delicious (as you can see - it went fast)! Yes, we are wearing green. However, we prefer to think of ourselves as really good friends rather than traitors as we'll always be Bears fans! Our family and friends will get a kick out of this story, though - That morning, Cole hissed as the Steelers ran on to the field and Jaiden asked her who they were. She said that that team was the team they wanted to lose. He replied, "Oh, you mean the Bears?!" Somehow I don't remember getting as much anti-Packer propaganda growing up as Jaiden is getting anti-Bears!! Ah well, we'll always have this...

Jaiden, April 2008

A budding artist!

2011-02-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

Amelia's first masterpiece!! And she didn't even try to eat the crayons...at least not right away.

Parking lot fun!

2011-02-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, the safest place for the girls to ride their "bikes" is in our apartment parking lot. We were lucky to catch an afternoon with some sun and empty parking spaces!

What happens when Mom says, "Say cheese!"...

2011-02-05T03:25:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, we do not have one of those fancy pants cameras that can take pictures at lightning speed, apparently the speed at which my daughters operate, but this is the evolution of my attempts at taking a picture of Mae and Amelia, looking cute in coordinating outfits. ARGH!! Some kids are just genetically wired to sit still and smile for the lens. Mine are NOT!

Some of our favorite things to do...

2011-01-24T03:50:00.000-08:00

Build Duplo towers!!! Kevin made this one all by himself. :) Mae made sure to tell him to put it on the counter if he didn't want Amelia to knock it down. Good thinking!

Climb to the top of big, coral boulders at the beach on a sunny day...

and climb inside tunnels on a cold, rainy day!

Eat the Cherry Blossom roll at our favorite izakaya. Notice that the wasabi was formed into the shape of a leaf...too cool!

Cute Pics

2011-01-17T20:49:00.000-08:00

Amelia loves to crawl into this basket, so Mae followed suit with a basket of her own!

We took an evening walk and it was cold enough to try out our cold weather gear. Too cute!

Say, "CHEESE!"
The concept of a slide is lost on Little Stuff; she just likes to hang out at the bottom!

Mae was invited to a princess bowling party and there she is in the middle wearing one of her finest gowns. She had a great time, but there was definitely more prancing around than bowling taking place!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-12T14:58:00.001-08:00

On New Year's Eve, we invited two of our favorite families for a night of dips, desserts, drinks and games. Before all the FUN started, we tried to get a family picture (we are certainly going to miss our gorgeous ocean view!). Needless to say, Mae is a bit difficult to wrangle.

Jaiden, Mae, Jacqueline, and Amelia seem to be having a blast playing Duplos, doctor, and cars all at the same time!

Happy New Year, hot mamas Maria, Kristen, and Cole!!

We had such a time!!! Although the team with the two designated drivers fared slightly better than the other, we all enjoyed several rounds of Taboo. Next time...Battle of the Sexes! Thank you for a fabulous night, Nate, Nicole, Andre, Maria and kids! We hope everyone back home enjoyed as fun and as safe a New Year's Eve as we certainly did!

Just had to share...

2011-01-07T22:42:00.001-08:00

Mae and I went through our very large stash of toys and chose a few to donate to The Marine Thrift Shop last week. We were blessed with wonderful gifts for the holidays and needed to make some room. Anyway, I was praising Mae for being willing to pass on the toys she no longer plays with so that other kids, who may not have many toys, can enjoy them. She said that their (the kids') grandpas and grandmas might give them gifts. I replied that those children may not have grandpas and grandmas. She looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "Mom, I want to give those kids my Grandpas and Grandmas, too." God love her(!) and apologies to our wonderful grandparents!!!

Winter Break 2010

2011-01-03T20:54:00.000-08:00

Those four hours of preschool 3 times a week make a difference! Without them...hello, Round 1! Round 1 is an indoor play stadium that offers any and EVERY fun game or contraption for both kids (and full-time moms alike) to "get their wiggles out". Here we are in the section I refer to as the American Gladiator pit.

Mae and Mary hung on these for what seemed like hours, or maybe it just seemed that long because the moms were actually able to converse in complete sentences! :)

It came as no surprise that Amelia's favorite "game" was the stairs. Up and down and up and down, she's really good at them! :)

At least they didn't think to use the gloves on each other!

This is serious, Mom! Mary and Mae were doing well to pay homage to Eisa dancing on the island with their intense focus in figuring out this drum game.

Let's just say that I had some world class crashes on this one! I bet Mary did better and she couldn't even reach the pedal!

The next day we ventured to Comprehensive Park and managed to snatch up what would be the last bit of sunshine for the year. Amelia LOVED this seesaw, though she never caught on that kicking faster didn't really make it bounce higher.

Mae and her buds on the swings. Of course she's standing...that day she also decided to go down a fireman's pole by herself after she was told not to by 2 moms! It didn't end well.

We all survived, though, to eat lunch in peace before heading to the spider nets. We had a wonderful week before the New Year's holiday and are thankful for the friends we made such awesome memories with during our last December on Okinawa. New Year's Eve pictures to follow...

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

A BIG "THANK YOU" to all the girls' generous Grandmas and Grandpas for making present opening on Christmas morning so wonderful! Here's our Charlie Brown tree making a brief appearance on the floor (normally, it's on our kitchen counter!).

Mae was super exciting about everything and Kristen and Kevin loved watching her enjoy every minute of her Christmas morning.

Amelia really only cared for the kitty-cat ornament on the tree. She kept stepping over presents to try to get to it, meowing all morning! Kristen quickly took it down for her to hold and Amelia would periodically sit with it, in the midst of torn wrapping paper and gifts, pointing to the cats and meowing some more.

Taking a break from meowing to open her stocking with Daddy.

Kristen was THRILLED to get the Glee Christmas album in her stocking!

Thank you for our adorable and cozy winter coats Grandma Lizzie and Grandpa Brett!

Mae sat very still, listening and then laughing that Santa's nose was like a cherry as Grandma Patricia and Grandpa Jim "read" her 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

We celebrated the rest of our Christmas Day at Uncle Nate and Aunt Colie's house. Here are the two rug rats who decided to love each other that day...mostly.

We ate a delicious dinner, the kids opened presents, we stuffed ourselves with dessert, and then the adults tried to figure out the rules to SkipBo.

Merry Christmas!!

Mae's Gingerbread Girl

2010-12-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Grandma Patricia sent Mae the apron that Kristen wore as a little girl, so Kristen and Mae decided to dress like they meant business when baking cookies on Christmas Eve. Mae called dibs on the beaters right away!

After baking, Mae had a marvelous time decorating a gingerbread girl from a kit she received from her Great Grandma Jonnie. Thank you, Grandma!

Mae INSISTED that her gingerbread girl look almost exactly like the one pictured on the box and even said that we should bring the package to Christmas Eve dinner to show everyone how similar the two cookies looked. Hello, first born!!! :)

Mae did an awesome job! She and Kristen had so much fun, they've decided to make decorating a gingerbread girl a Christmas tradition!

Thank you for visiting, Gramma Lizzie and Grandpa Brett!

2010-12-23T04:34:00.000-08:00

We were lucky to have family, Gramma Lizzie and Grandpa Brett, visit for Thanksgiving and Amelia's 1st Birthday. Here we are, happy and full, after a Thanksgiving Day buffet at the Butler Officers' Club. Kristen is especially happy because she didn't have to wash a single dish!!!

Amelia is happy to let Grandpa do all the work at Dolphin Park! (If you look closely behind Grandpa, you can see Kevin working really hard too!)

Forget Chicago-style pizza! Our family is Grandpa Brett-style pizza from here on out! This pizza was about 2 inches high and packed full of sausage. It was AMAZING, as was the pepperoni version. Heart attack on a plate. :)

Gramma Lizzie treated Kristen and Mae to pedicures at Cocok's, YEA! It was Mae's first pedicure and, although Kristen wasn't too sure how she would tame the squirrel inside :) , Mae acted like she'd been pampered her whole life! It was too cute! Thank you, Grandma!!

Kisses from Grandma! We had a wonderful visit, though it was short, thank you! Miss you already, Gramma and Grandpa! Maybe we can lure you back with some more chocolate mushrooms?

Happy Birthday, Amelia!

2010-12-21T03:45:00.000-08:00

Amelia turned the big #1 on November 28th and she couldn't have been cuter! A big thank you to her Auntie Meg for her birthday ensemble and also to everyone else who helped make her birthday week special.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-02T01:11:00.000-07:00

Happy, happy Halloween from Amelia, The Halloween Elf! Isn't she cute folks?!

After MUCH deliberation, Mae finally decided to be a Hula dancer this year. First, she planned on dressing as a pirate, then a princess, then a ballerina...! Thank heavens for Grandma Patricia and her friends for their sizable donation of dress-up clothes!

We convened for trick-or-treating at Uncle Nate and Aunt Colie's house and had a BLAST ransacking the neighborhood with Mae's best bud Bumble Bee, aka Jaiden.

"Ummm, Mom? None of the other kids have bananas on their heads?!"

Argh! Scurvy Dogs!

2010-08-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

We're thinking that Mae would make a pretty cute pirate for Halloween. AND she's got the attitude to match! :)

Peekabo with a surprise ending!

2010-08-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Just another swim at Sunset Beach!

2010-07-18T05:02:00.000-07:00

We are spoiled and truly blessed to live on a gorgeous island where we can hop from beach to beach! Last Thursday, we met some friends at one of our favorite spots, Sunset Beach, for a swim and a picnic lunch. Mae's our little mermaid in an inner tube!

Mae with two of her buds

"Mom, watch this!"

Kristen with her little blondie, Amelia!

This is too fun! Apologies to our loved ones in the North, but I don't think we could ever be land-locked again!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-06T03:59:00.001-07:00

Here's Amelia sitting pretty with her Aunt Colie and Amanda!

With a twinkle in her eye...

...like Father, like Daughter!

Bucket 'O FUN! Mae had a fabulous time on the 4th, giggling here with two of her friends! We went to a clambake hosted by good squadron friends, Caitlin and Tyler, stuffed ourselves with their amazing food and then ran it off in the backyard with SUPERSOAKERS armed!

2 Generations of The Big Sister Pic!

2010-06-15T04:03:00.001-07:00

My Grandma Lewis recently mailed me this picture (thanks, Grandma!) of me holding my baby sister Heather. I was only a few months younger than Mae is in the picture below. What's the verdict? Any resemblance?

Mommy, WOW! I'm a big girl now!

2010-06-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

We painted Mae's toes for the first time last week, her favorite color don't ya know!

Not only does Little Stuff roll all over, she now sits like a big kid and is starting to babble! Alas, they're both growing up too fast.

Big Sis and Little Stuff

2010-06-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

Personalize your own picture slideshow

2010-05-21T00:52:00.001-07:00

Greeting personalized with Smilebox

Won't you take me to...Kiddie Disco!

2010-05-19T22:42:00.001-07:00

It was kiddie disco night at the Kadena Officers' Club and we had a slammin' time!

Welcome Home, Uncle Nate!

2010-05-18T22:33:00.001-07:00

Our good friend Nate returned home from deployment this past Tuesday and we couldn't be happier for him, Aunt Colie and Mae's best bud Jaiden! Here's Mae after an hour of running, coloring and playing in the dirt at the hangar while we awaited the SUMOS' arrival.

A super excited Aunt Colie and good friend Caitlin waiting to love on their hubbies!

Go SUMO SPOUSES!!! You can't survive a deployment overseas without a fabulous bunch of girl friends and that's what we've got over here! Here are Anna and Becca along for support and loud cheers!

Yea!!!!! We missed you, Uncle Nate! We're so glad you're back home!

Love you, Sidwells!!!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T22:13:00.000-07:00

A free slideshow by Smilebox

What we like to do in our spare time...

2010-03-24T22:19:00.001-07:00

Build Duplo towers with Jaiden (or Duclos, as Mae insists!),

Go out and about,

Dress up Mrs. Potato Head,

Attend birthday parties with Grace and Charlotte,

and snuggle with the luckiest Mom around!

Mae, Amelia, and Friends

2010-03-01T17:28:00.001-08:00

Mae and Kevin feeding the koi at Comprehensive Park. The pigeon kept trying to steal the food and were getting too close for comfort so Daddy (and Mommy) taught Mae how to kick them away. No one can accuse us of being animal rights activists, but she sure had fun (and no pigeon were hurt)! :)

Mae in Kevin's cover and ...

Amelia in hers!

Mae with fellow princesses Jessica (L) and Mary (R) at playgroup.

3 cheers for the Big Sisters (Jessica, Adele, Mae and Mary)!

3 Cheers for the #2's (Amelia, Adam, Michelle, and Maggie)!

There's a happy girl!

Thank you for visiting, Grandma Patricia and Grandpa Jim!

2010-02-16T00:31:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Dinner at the Habu Pit, Hawaiian Buffet

Picnic lunch at Maeda Flats

First and only attempt at Coco's, points to Grandma and Grandpa for trying something new!

Grandma Patricia and Amelia

We celebrated Grandma's birthday at The Macaroni Grill

Mae baring it all at Sunset Beach!

Dinner with Cole and Jaiden at The Four Seasons

Their last night on island, we went to The Transit Cafe, ate an amazing meal and watched the sunset. Thank you for your visit! We miss you!

Amelia at 2 months/8 weeks

2010-02-09T03:53:00.001-08:00

I'm a bit late in posting them, but these pictures were taken on the day Little Stuff turned 8 weeks. How cute is she?!

Just Mommy and The Girls!

2010-01-26T02:05:00.000-08:00

While Daddy's away, the girls will...lounge around in pjs all day, wishing he was there to snuggle us!

Mae and I were discussing Yo Gabba Gabba characters and I look down at her coloring book for like a minute! When I looked up, she was absentmindly running her blue marker across her lips. And this was AFTER we washed it off once!

Apparently, that wasn't exciting enough for Amelia!

"Helping" mommy make a cake for our new friend, Baby Reagan!

A morning at Mae's Beauty Shop...don't ask me how hers looks better than mine...she did both!

Amelia's first week at home!

2009-12-05T04:01:00.000-08:00

Mae and Jaiden hand painted awesome "welcome home" signs for Amelia and the gorgeous lily bouquet is from Kevin's work.

Amelia completely content in the arms of her Aunt Colie!

Kisses from big sister Mae, who only refers to Amelia as "my baby sister".

Staci, a SUMO spouse and friend, came to see Baby Amelia toting chicken enchiladas with a great(!) goo factor!

Gramma Lizzie snuggin' a bath time bunny

Gotta love those first few sleepy weeks!

Welcome to the World Baby Girl!

2009-11-30T02:24:00.000-08:00

Amelia Rose chose November 28, 2009 for her much anticipated debut! She was born at 7:36pm, weighing 6 lbs, 2 oz and measured 20 inches long. Here's our new beauty on her way home from the hospital.

Amelia and her proud Mommy during a visit from Daddy and big sis Mae.

Mae was super excited about her new little sister, asking about everything Amelia was doing and how Kristen was feeling! She also cared very much about keeping things quiet for her new baby sister...for at least a couple minutes anyway! (then we had to keep her from jumping on the bed)

A very happy and proud Daddy with his two beautiful girls!

Finally at home, the first picture of a happy, but tired Mom and Dad, Mae trying on her "big sister shoes" and Amelia snoozing away.

Alaska in June

2009-11-11T02:57:00.000-08:00

Kevin spent the month of June in Anchorage, AK. Highlights of the detachment included fly fishing, hiking, salmon fishing, eating seafood someone else caught, and growing a shifty mustache!

Here he is about to fish for King Salmon; those waders look good on you, Babe!

Fly fishing for rainbow trout in inclement weather - winds of 40 knots!

Kevin quietly "reflecting" over downtown Anchorage.

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks for hosting a great night, Sidwells! The Halloween crew, (from left) Kristen, Becca, Caleb and Lily, Nate, Mae, Kevin and Jaiden, happily full and ready for some rainy trick or treating!

Kristen, Cole and "the belly"!

Caleb "Darth", Jaiden "Fireman", and Mae "Sea Turtle"

We stopped by the Spring's and ran into our favorite lion twins, Grace and Charlie!

Mae giggling as she contemplates the destruction of her hairy pumpkin from school!

Happy Halloween from "Sea Turtle" Mae

2009-10-29T00:05:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Touring Tokyo, Last Part!

2009-08-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here we are in front of the hotel our last night. Kevin took us to this amazing Hawaiian Luau in the ballroom. The buffet was super delicious, the entertainment was wonderful and some people were super dressed up; it was incredibly fun!

Mae donning her lei and straw hat, they were placed at each seat.

The musicians from Hawaii.

Part of the evening included a hula contest. We were just about to leave for the night because Mae kept trying to get on stage with the REAL hula dancers when the host told us she was about to have her chance. Of course, she was all over that action, had no fear, and stayed up there for about ten minutes until they started the instruction and she couldn't practice her own moves anymore!!

We flew right by Mt. Fuji on the way home. Toodles Tokyo, thank you!

Touring Tokyo, Part 3

2009-08-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Tokyo, we hiked it over to the Tokyo Tower, very similar to the Eiffel Tower, and passed this building along the way. It was called the Green Building and the "green" is created with plants, growing right on the building's sides! Just thought it was kinda quirky for Tokyo!

Kristen and Mae on the observation deck. It was really hard to figure out the lighting for a great shot of the view, so bear with us!

An endless sea of urban cement in every direction...

Mae loved sitting on the viewing platform in the floor. So much so that we had to pull her off kicking and screaming. Ahh, the joys of international travel with a 2 year old!

Tokyo Tower in all its glory!

Touring Tokyo, Part 2

2009-08-19T15:45:00.001-07:00

Here's our room at The New Sanno Hotel, after we lived in it a day or two. Mae slept on the pull-out sofa, singing herself to sleep with Hakuna Mattata (sp?) while Kevin and I tried to keep our laughter quiet.

Kevin and Mae at a nearby park we visited a couple mornings, with an en route stop at a local patisserie included!

Mae is a climbing machine! Unfortunately, though, she hasn't mastered the "down" part quite yet.

We found the most DEEEElicious indian restaurant a few city blocks from the hotel. I'm stilling dreaming about this curry.

Saying goodbye to the Sidwells back at the hotel; they had arrived a few days earlier and left before us (Jaiden's the cute head in the picture fast asleep). Thanks for the Tokyo fun, guys!

Here's a sample of Mae singing her new favorite song...parents everywhere will emphathize, we listen to this song over and over and over and over...

Touring Tokyo, Part 1

2009-08-18T04:02:00.001-07:00

Kevin took some much needed leave and we Space-A 'd it up to Tokyo for an urban adventure. Our first attempt was on a Sunday and we finally made it to Atsugi via a Citation 5 on Tuesday. Mae did really well on the flight, but not so great on the several subway trains that followed. Each of us looked the part of the weary traveler as we checked into our accommodations at wonderful New Sanno Hotel.

Two happy passengers!

Wednesday, our first full day, we joined the Sidwells to brave a day at Tokyo Disney. It was super hot and pretty disappointing, but we tried to make the best of it. Jaiden and Mae loved the shows, (picture below) highlights of the morning and very entertaining.

As we were escaping :), we managed to catch Jiminy for a picture. Mae LOVED all the characters. Most of them were too fast to nab, though!

Happy Father's Day, Kevin!!

2009-06-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Atlanta for you to enjoy with our love! You are the most wonderful husband and father, the best we could dream of and we miss you so much! All the hugs and kisses we've missed and more for good measure, Kristen and Mae

Sweet Home Chicago

2009-06-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

Sometime during the 11 (yes, ELEVEN!) hours we spent at the Narita airport in Tokyo, Mae flashed me this cheesey grin and gave her exhausted mama a boost!

Finally in Chicago, we visited with Great Grandma and Grandpa Cavanagh and Grandma Lizzie. Here, G-Grandma C and Mae share a read in their perfectly peaceful backyard.

Grandma Lizzie and Mae working the keys!

Mae "flipped out" over cousin Garrett's trampoline. Aunt Heather was visiting from New York and joined in the fun.

Ali, Garrett and Mae taking a snuggle break from jumping!

Aloha! (last installment)

2009-04-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some super cute pictures of Mae passing the hours in the C-17 by eating, reading, playing with fellow passengers and (finally!) sleeping. Hope you enjoyed our vacation pics!

Aloha! (installment 4)

2009-04-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

Kevin drove Kristen and Mae to the top of Waimea Canyon for a cold, but spectacular, view. Here's a cute shot of Mae and Daddy after she finished chasing some adventurous chickens up there!

Gramma Lizzie, Grampa Hone and Kendall and Bob watched Mae so that we could take a dinner cruise up the Napali coast. We had THE best date riding and getting splashed by 5 ft waves, eating great food, seeing the gorgeous view through the clouds, and spotting whales over and over!

Aloha! (installment 3)

2009-03-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

The view from the resort condo that Gramma Lizzie, Grampa Brett and their friends Kendall and Bob so graciously shared with us. It was deluxe to say the least.

"Fit for a princess" - Mae enjoying the king-sized bed with Gramma. There was no pea under that mattress!

She wore an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie...

Mae and Daddy getting ready to feed the Koi out in front of the resort.

Aloha! (installment 2)

2009-03-16T20:07:00.001-07:00

Mae on the edge of her seat during a dinner performance at International Market Place in Honolulu.

Kevin and Mae eating Cold Stone ice cream compliments of cousin Patti, thanks lady!

Mae, Kevin's cousins Patti and Colleen, and Kristen stopping traffic in Honolulu.

Mahalo for the fun ladies; it was great to see you! Until next time!

Aloha!

2009-03-14T22:21:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Mae on Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the background.

As close to a birds-eye view of Kanehoe Bay as we could get. Absolutely gorgeous!

Mae in motion at Sandy Beach.

Watch out! Those waves sneak up on you when you least expect it; although he managed to save Mae from a similar fate, Kevin left Sandy Beach with a wet crotch!

Daddy and Mae after swimming in the Outrigger pool. Mae said hello to this dolphin statue every morning!

(These are the first of many pictures we hope to share with you of our military space-A trip to Hawaii.)

Gyokusendo Caves (or Okinawa World!)

2009-02-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

Kristen and Mae at the entrance. It was a chilly day...

but not underground! Here we are, all fogged up!

The underground cavern was amazing and was an easy 30 minute walk, even for Mae.

Miss you, Heather!

Playtime with Mommy

2009-02-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Usually, Kristen's behind the camera. With Aunt Heather in town, though, we caught a moment with Mae and Mommy together. Thanks, Heather!

Yomitan and Bath time

2009-02-03T15:57:00.001-08:00

A great view of the kilns used at the pottery village, Yomitan.

Silly Mae! She wanted to lay on the tub floor after her bath and our froggy girl would not get out!

How cute is this little bunny?!

Shurijo Castle Park

2009-02-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

Kristen and Heather at the Kankai Gate, the castle's main gate. It was named so because dignitaries visiting the castle were greeted there.

Heather at the Zuisen Gate. Zuisen means "a splendid and auspicious spring" and was named so because of the Ryuhi spring located in front of the gate.

Kristen in front of the Seiden, or main hall. The Seiden was the center of political and ceremonial activities involving the King himself. It's design is uniquely Ryukyuan, incorporating Imperial Chinese and Japanese architecture and techniques.

Duh...this is where the King sat. Although we had a fabulous time, everything was incredibly beautiful and interesting, we were embarrassed because we had to take off our shoes in one section and no one else was wearing sandals. It felt almost sacrilegious going barefoot!

Also, this was so cool, when we entered the underground parking lot, we parked towards the back and then you hand over your keys to the Japanese attendants. When we left, we found the attendants and expected to wait while they jockeyed the cars around to get ours. But, no! Our car was right there, parked in the first spot waiting for us! We were so surprised, we started laughing and so did they! Spooky - they knew we were coming!

MIss you so much already, Aunt Heather!

2009-01-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

Kristen's sister Heather arrived the day before New Year's Eve and stayed with us for 3 weeks! It was such a great treat that Kristen had a really tough time letting her go. We had many adventures before Heather's time on island was up, though, and here is the first of several blogs from her visit. Enjoy!

Kevin and Mae at Seaside Bowl out in town. Mae had a great first bowling experience, but, don't ya know, all our scores suffered for it! Ha!

At this Okinawan bowling alley, you rent your bowling shoes from a vending machine.

Of course, we had to introduce Heather to Cocos! She loved it and even bought boxed Cocos mixes to take back to the States.

Mae and Heather at Jusco riding the merry-go-round. Hello, sensory overload! Who knew air hockey could be so much fun; at Jusco, the game randomly shoots out several pucks at a time. Kevin remains the reigning champion!

After the tunnels, rides, and air hockey fun, we enjoyed a live performance of young Okinawan girls singing traditional songs while playing an instrument we don't know the name of. ;)

Yomitan Pottery Festival

2008-12-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

Kristen's smiling big because she found some beautiful, uniquely Okinawan pieces and because she and Mae spent a beautiful day with Nicole, Jo and their boys.

VMGR 152 Squadron Christmas Party

2008-12-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

Here's Jaiden and Mae running up and down and stomping on Bubble Wrap Lane! Once you pop, you can't stop.

When the word was passed that Santa was about to arrive, everyone lined up along the flight line...

to see him arrive in a red-nosed C130J!! It was awesome!

Family pic with the SUMOS (Mae wouldn't stop staring! :) )

When the DJ started the children's raffle, he stopped playing Christmas music and, apparently, chose Mae's jam instead, because she couldn't help herself. That's Mommy's girl!

Thanks for Thanksgiving, Gamma Lizzie and Gampa Hone

2008-12-05T19:52:00.001-08:00

While we waited for Kevin to land home after his det. to the States, Kristen and Mae showed G&G one of the hippest joints on Araha Beach, Jet City Burgers. The best burger, Kristen would say, is the pineapple avocado burger and, usually, or quite unusually, they'll put a French toast stick on your plate along with your fries.

Relaxing on Araha Beach...then it rained.

Happy Stuffing Your Face at the Officer's Club Brunch Day! Mae missed an international spread, everything from turkey to sushi!

Our FAVORITE place to eat...CoCo's! Mae will ask for "chicken, naan" if we haven't been there in a while!! G&G gave it a thumbs up!

The Morrisey mug!

Mae and Gamma Lizzie at Maeda Flats.

Kevin climbing around Maeda Point

Mae's first haircut! Grandma did an amazing job of distracting a very unhappy little customer.

Tsuboya Pottery Festival

2008-11-24T02:33:00.000-08:00

After a couple hours of driving and walking back and forth, up and down paved streets and cobbled stone roads, we finally! found the pottery festival!!! Even if you have directions in hand, it seems that that's what it takes to find anything but major tourist attractions in Okinawa. We found it, though, saw some amazing pieces and even brought home a souvenir. Here is a tired, but happy Leah and a Mae an hour past her naptime. :)

Little blue and green riding hoods!

2008-11-24T02:27:00.000-08:00

We had an unusually chilly morning last week, so we bundled the kids up for our morning walk/run. They looked too cute to pass up a photo op! Plus, Mae actually wore long sleeves (though not for long)! Yea!

Check out THESE moves!!!

2008-11-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

Just like Daddy!

2008-11-17T03:14:00.000-08:00

Just like Kevin as a toddler, Mae LOVES to climb into cabinets and, this time, the dryer. No worries, Mom was right there! Here is a video of her learning to sing her ABCs; she spontaneously started her ABCs and counting to 10 on Halloween. Her favorite numbers seem to be 6,7,8,9 (she'll say them over and over and over! :) )!!!

Happy Birthday, USMC!

2008-11-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

Last night, we celebrated the 233rd birthday of the United States Marine Corps with the rest of the VMGR 152 SUMOS! We had a wonderful time visiting with friends, sans the little ones, and a blast dancing. If you see a Marine in the next week or so, be sure to wish them a happy birthday - once a Marine, always a Marine! Semper Fi!

Most of the lovely SUMO spouses and one ecstatic daughter.

Kristen and Nicole go glam!

Toguchi Beach Pictures

2008-10-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Mae and Friends

2008-09-30T03:31:00.001-07:00

Tropical Dream Center at Expo Park

2008-09-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

These gardens were more amazing and beautiful than any we have ever seen. The attention to detail was astounding! We enjoyed the Dream Center even more than the aquarium. Imagine that - a Morrisey choosing flowers over fish!

Futenma Flight Line Fair

2008-08-25T18:33:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Mae behind the C130J

A rare moment...Mae in one place.

Oh, there she goes...

"Konnichiwa, how's it going guys?!" Mae LOVES to walk up to groups of people and stare and show them where their eyes and ears are, especially babies in strollers.

Morning at Maeda

2008-08-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we spent our time snorkeling and playing in the sand at Maeda Flats. It's absolutely gorgeous and usually not crowded, with amazing under (and above) water views! There were even surfers to watch this weekend. Maeda has quickly become one of our favorite island spots.

Mae at breakfast

2008-08-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Okinawa Zoo

2008-08-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Mae says, "Cheeez!"

As if this picture needs any explanation...stay away from the tiger's line of spray!

Civic Center Park

2008-08-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

Kevin actually had to hang from the bar before sliding down this slide!

Remember the roller slides from back-in-the-day? Where'd they go? Okinawa!!!

Mae and Daddy at the tree-house top!

Little did she know...Daddy's butt was on fire!! The things we do for our kids don't ya know.

Australia, June 2008

2008-08-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

After almost 20 years of dreaming and scheming, Kevin set foot on Australian soil this past June. He was there for about 4 days and was able to enjoy Edith Falls, swimming in croc-infested waters (ha!), and sleeping in a trailer.

Two Little Flirts on the Couch

2008-07-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Mae's First Kiss!

2008-07-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

Car conversations with Mae

2008-07-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

Having fun with Jaiden!

2008-07-01T04:35:00.000-07:00

June's post - off to a great start! (and a month late!)

2008-07-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

Happiest in Daddy's arms!

Story time at Jaiden's!

Peekabo at Jaiden's!

Gotta love the bed-head! You're too funny, Mae!

Jaiden and Mae's adoring fans at the Shurami Aquarium. Mommy warned Auntie Nicole (Jaiden's mom) it would happen, but nothing could have prepared either of us for the squealing. :)

Swinging at "The Spot" Park

2008-05-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here's Andrew!

Here's Jacob!

And here's Mae!

Bulldog at the Beach

2008-05-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

Our little avid reader

2008-05-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Opening presents with Daddy!

2008-05-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Kevin was in Alaska, etc. on Mae's birthday, so we saved Great-Grandma and Grandpa's present for him to open with Mae. Here are a few cute pics!

"She wore an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie..."

Mae's newest favorite book, "Whose Baby Am I?"

Rock on, sista Mae!

Buds for ever, Jaiden and Mae

2008-05-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

Jaiden smiles...

Mae smiles...but never the two alike!

"I got your back, Jaiden!"

New Hairstyle

2008-05-04T06:13:00.000-07:00

I dropped Mae off at daycare with her normal barrette and picked her up looking like an 80s punkster. Dig it? Apparently, Mae has learned how to take her barrette out and then can't see through her hair! Pick your battles, right?

Our little puppy!

Happy 1st Birthday, Mae!

2008-04-25T04:13:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 22, we had a party for Mae in our new home with some of our new friends and had a wonderful time. Mae especially loved everyone singing to her; she just stared at everyone with this little smile and a look that said, "well, this is what life should be like"!

One of the spouses is a fabulous cake baker and she did a fantastic job with Mae's cake.

Alex swooped in and saved the day by blowing out Mae's candle - she just wasn't sure what to make of it.

Mae perfects the art of cupcake eating. She came up with this technique all by herself and had everyone cracking up! What a character!

Oooohhhh, it's soooo good.

It's Official!

2008-04-24T05:10:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's official, Mae is walking. Last Wednesday, she suddenly lost her inhibitions and started walking and walking and walking. Now, she won't let me carry her! It's awesome and hilarious - watch out, it's FrankenBaby!