16 of 52

Best week ever! David finally returned from his second year-long deployment to Iraq. My friend Beth came with us to the Welcome Home Ceremony and took some amazing photos for us. Enjoy!

We're so excited!

I always get interviewed by the news crew!

Saying hi to the 1st Cav horses.The buses are coming!!!
We got him! Now let's go HOME.

This says it all...

My wonderful friend Beth volunteered to take our homecoming photos today and I gladly accepted! There will be more to follow.

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Sorry there just wasn't a very flattering way to take this picture. This is what I get for being a nature lover and tromping around in the woods geocaching...

I'm assuming Poison Oak. I am treating it with Tecnu but it has been lingering. The original spot was on my other ankle but it spread. Growing up in Alaska I have no knowledge of poisonous plants, or snakes, or scorpions, or killer spiders for that matter. So I certainly have "learned something new" this past week. And yes, thankfully it is only on me and not the kids.

14 of 52 & Island Vacation Mix

A multi-tasking post for you today... my weekly photo plus a recipe all in one!


Island Vacation Mix
disclaimer: this is more of a "treat" than a healthy snack

2-1/2 cups Corn Chex
2-1/2 cups Rice Chex
2 cups macadamia nuts
1/4 cup butter, cubed
4 tbsp sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1 6oz pkg dried pineapple, chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips

FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY (I didn't!)
In large microwave safe bowl, combine cereal and nuts ONLY. In small microwave safe bowl combine sugar and butter, microwave uncovered until melted and sugar dissolves (1-2 minutes on HIGH). Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir to coat. Cook cereal mixture on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring once. Now add the coconut, microwave on HIGH for 2 more minutes, stirring once. Spread onto waxed paper to cool. Once it is completely cool you can stir in the pineapple and white chips. Store in an airtight container.

12 of 52 & 13 of 52

Last week my friend Maria took pictures of me on my frog-catching quest. That was a really fun day! If you missed it you can see the kids enjoying the adventure here.


This week we had an Easter storytime with a little parade and egg hunt, they had us wear or "Sunday Best" so I actually got dressed up and both kids told me I looked "pretty" awww. Although its been nice and sunny all week it has also been awfully windy so went for and indoor lunch/playdate at the good ol' Chic-Fil-a afterwards. They have such great service... Cali knocked down one of the kid meals and all the fries fell on the floor, before I even got it picked up a guy came over to help clean it and said they were already working on replacing it... all we needed was new fries but they gave us a complete new meal, toy and all.

Funny thing about this picture... you notice her poking her ear? She was telling me it "itched". Well, after nap she had a fever so I called the doc and went in this morning to find out she has a double ear infection. She says it doesn't even hurt!

11 of 52

Of all the fun things we did this past week, I don't have myself pictured doing any of them (other than the 5K) so I made sure to snap a photo of myself riding the bike to the park this afternoon. Diego was in the bike trailer and Cali rode her own bike, with her baby along for the ride of course.

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I could have a picnic 5 days a week if weather permitted and we've been having a lot more nice weather here lately.

9 of 52

This is called "forcing your kid to take a picture with you"!

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Sunny Sunday...
Snowy Tuesday!

7 of 52

On Monday the kids were about to drive me crazy and we'd just been stuck inside for too long. I made an impromptu decision we just had to get out of the house and not to any of the usual places either. We went to a really fun indoor play area and had hours of fun while eating great food too! I even got a few extra hugs out of the deal :)

Sunny Saturday

After enduring another week of wet, cold, and wind (with a threat of snow tossed in) the sun come back out again for our Saturday. I jumped on the chance to go for a run and afterward while I did my stretches while the kids played out front which involved bringing out a pile of blankets and animals. Cali said they were just going to sit and "enjoy the view".... "Mommy, what does 'view' mean?"

6 of 52

On our one sunny day last weekend, we got out and played at a park and threw rocks in the creek nearby. We've been back inside ever since with more wet, cold, windy weather...and now the forecast is calling for 100% chance of SNOW tomorrow... all day long!

5 of 52

Just a regular busy day... Took Cali to school, went to Vanessa's to run on her treadmill while the boys played together, got Cali from school then went to lunch at Chic-fil-a since its been raining for days and they really needed to go play somewhere.

4 of 52

Building projects together at Lowe's. This one was much, much simpler than the fire trucks! I can't tell you what this is though because we are sending one to Daddy for his birthday.

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He sat in my lap, I had the camera in my hand and I thought "oh, perfect opportunity for this week's photo!"

2 of 52

One of our very favorite things to do as a family is to go for a hike and a picnic. This was a new spot we had never been before. Other than the breeze it was fairly nice out. And yes I still have hair its just all up under that hat that David let me borrow since I left mine in the car.