The Bigs!

I figure you really see enough of the Littles...so here are their counterparts: Nathan with Naylene, Dylan with Haley, and Sean. Enjoy!

Here's a fun fact: after 8 months, Dylan and Haley have learned to wear matching clothes without even talking to each other first!

Nathan and Naylene match too : )

This was a red-letter weekend for Naylene: graduation ceremony on Thursday, prom on Friday, followed by a surprise weekend with Nathan!

Guess who's home?

Everyone's favorite Guardian!


Yesterday through a volley of email messages Nathan and I discussed the fact that the Sycamore would be mooring in Seattle this morning and he had liberty this weekend...would I come and get him? Well, miracle of miracles, there was nothing on my calendar, and there was nothing on Don's calendar! So while Don wrangled Nick at home, the girls and I drove down to Seattle, leaving around 10:30, getting there at 2:00, and then getting home a little past 5:00. It was a long day but obviously worth every minute!

Naylene had no idea that Nathan was coming home : ) She had her prom last night and ended up being up until 9:00 this morning, so she was still asleep when Nathan surprised her by showing up at her house with a bouquet of flowers. We went home and had some pizza which Don had procured from Pizza Hut (Nathan's favorite!) and then Naylene came over a while later after she got ready for her "day." I have a feeling that her days and nights are going to be a little confused for awhile!

Nathan had a short night, too. While underway, the Sycamore happened upon a buoy floating around! It had come untethered and was wandering aimlessly around the Pacific. Luckily a buoy tender found it... The captain called an "all deck hands to deck" and the guys worked in the rain, in the middle of the night, pulling the largest type of buoy they can handle...not sure how big, but plenty big!...onto the already-loaded deck amidst 2,000 pounds of chain and the electrical engineer's truck (he was probably a little worried). They worked until 4:00, so Nathan is feeling a little low-energy as well. He and Naylene decided that watching a movie would be the perfect activity for this evening.

Welcome home, sailor! It's a pleasure to have you here, and believe me when I say I'd go to the ends of the earth for you.

Final Jazz concert 2010

Tonight Don and I went to see Sean and Dylan perform in Poppy's end-of-the-year jazz concert. We went with our friends, Russ and Kari, who have a son who was also performing. Russ and Kari also have a teenaged daughter named Michaela who came and babysat the Littles so that Don and I could both go to the concert. That was a nice change from us taking turns going and staying home to watch the kids.

The concert went really well and both boys had solos. I did record Sean's solo, but my camera battery died before I could get Dylan's. I'll try to figure out how to upload it tomorrow.

After the concert the band teacher, Mr. Ablitt, took a bunch of kids out to see the movie Robin Hood, which doesn't even start until 10:00. I can't believe I let Sean stay out until 1:00 a.m. on a school night, and then Justin is coming to spend the night at our house so his parents didn't have to drive out from Abbotsford to pick him up. I must be getting soft! I'll let you know tomorrow whether or not that was a good idea : )

Littles' launch station

I moved all the kids' shoes, jackets, and backpacks into the playroom so they have their own "launch station." This has freed up a lot of space in the back porch...enough space, I think, for a bench, which would be very helpful for taking off/putting on shoes!

And then here are some pictures of Nick playing in there : )

Mr. Independent

Nick likes to do things himself. Everthing, actually. Sometimes we try to persuade him to let us help, but we usually give in to avoid a screaming fit. It's just a little extra clean-up, after all : )

Child #7

is apparently named Elmo : )

Nick got Elmo for Christmas and he's gotten quite attached to him. Sometimes when I find Elmo laying around, I pose him doing something fun. Nick thinks this is hysterical. I must be crazy.

Petty Officer Murphy, round 2

I just realized that I didn't have a picture of "uniformed Sean" for about a year, so here he is in his latest decoration. Cadet's Annual Ceremonial Review is Saturday, June 5, so I'm sure we'll get more great pictures there.

A Jordyn funny...

This one is too precious not to blog! When Naylene was helping Jordyn get dressed for Patience's princess party, Jordyn mentioned that she had to put on the "high heels" that go with her princess outfit. But instead of calling them "high heels," she called them "hot wheels!"

Naylene

My friend Heather snapped this shot at soccer a couple of weeks ago. We're so lucky to have you, Naylene!

Don's birthday

Yesterday was Don's 44th birthday. He had the unfortunate timing of having his birthday the day after this fete. So, needless to say, he didn't have cards, gifts, special decorations, or yummy food waiting for him. He did get to sleep in, and then go have breakfast with a friend/business associate, and spend the day kind of getting caught up on some work projects. If that wasn't enough, we then went out to dinner at Andrea's, our favorite Greek restaurant, and then to the movies to see Robin Hood! We did dinner and the movies with Haley and Dylan, and it was fun to spend the evening with them. Happy birthday, Honey!

Patience's Princess Party

With this many pictures, you don't need any words! Suffice it to say that Patience and her guests had a wonderful time and that I had tons of help from some of the moms and Naylene, who just happened to have grad skip day today so she came to help me!