Our Navy Family

The Bray's were in Boston visiting Cait's family for the holidays and they made a trip to Groton to visit! It is always fantastic to see our friends that the Navy has brought into our lives, or what I call our Navy family! These are the people that we experience so much with (good & bad) and find a special place in our hearts.

Pat & Cait made it in around lunch time, so a trip to 5 Guys Burger & Fries was needed. After visiting for a little while, Andy & Pat made their way down to the Dallas to catch up and Cait & I visited at the house while the boys played. The whole gang made it over for dinner and we spent the night laughing and chatting. We had a great time and are looking forward to the next visit in Hawaii!!

Allens, Leavitts, Brays, & Hills

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

So the new street we live on is Silverbell and it makes me sing everytime I tell someone our address, lame I know. The last few days have gone by in the blink of an eye. We have unpacked and set up our house, visited with Santa, celebrated Christmas, and every spare moment has been spent being a family of four!

With the help of some great friends, we unloaded the storage unit and quickly set up our house to be ready for Christmas. Andy and I stayed up late and woke up early to unpack the house in three days and even hung pictures prior to our holidays. My main focus was to be able to have the house done before we started on holiday shopping and cookie making. Well we accomplished it! The boys were fabulous during this time and Andy took breaks to play with them between unpacking boxes and hanging pictures.

After that whirlwind, we started on our holiday fun! The boys & I made cookies and candy and Andy finished the holiday treats by making springila (a unique German cookie). We ordered our lobsters for Christmas dinner and saw Santa, too! The packages were all tied up pretty with bows and we even read the Christmas Story.

We also received the huge news that we would be moving to Hawaii in early summer! It was huge news and we were very excited, but man I just got this house unpacked and movers are coming again?!

Stockings were hung with care

Our first year with a star instead of an angel gracing the top of our tree, Jack's request

Christmas morning fun

Our little Captain America

Why yes that is our elf sitting by a Hawaiian palm tree

Lobster and prime rib now just waiting for Davis & veggies to be ready!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Davis Parker!!!

Davis turned three and what a perfect day! It feels like yesterday that we welcomed our baby boy into our family and he has made each day brighter! This little guy is always hunting for a sweet treat, has all the hugs and kisses in the world for us, adores his big brother, JackJack, and makes my heart melt with his little grin.

It was so nice to have Andy home to celebrate. We took the birthday boy to breakfast at the Shack for pancakes and then Target. He got to pick out his own birthday gift, a roaring dinosaur! The day continued with our dear friends, The Allens & Leavitts, joining us for Mystic Pizza for dinner. It was a wonderful evening with pizza and singing!

Davis Parker is the big 3!

Celebrating Davis

Welcome Home USS Dallas!!!

This day has been a long one in the making, but what a perfect day! The sun was shining and it wasn't bitterly cold. It felt like the day was dragging by and from the moment we saw the boat (Andy was driving) the minutes went by even slower. But wow what a moment when we finally saw him up close and were able to give him hugs and kisses!

From the moments Jack & Davis woke up, they talked about what they were going to tell Daddy and how many hugs and kisses they were going to give him. I was a bundle of nerves and also worried that the outdoor elements would lead to some type of mishap (namely Davis ending up in the water). Well, I was wrong about Davis ending up in the water, but his Welcome Home sign did :)

God graced us with a gorgeous day and reminded me of how many miracles I have in my life!

Andy driving the boat!

A family moment, I love how Davis is looking up at Andy!

Waiting for the boat to make it's way down the river...

Jack waiting

Getting Ready for Andy (Daddy)!

The boys & I picked up the keys to our new house on the 12th and have been busy passing the days before Andy gets home. All of our stuff (besides what was loaded in the BMW) is in storage, so we have been roughing it with an air mattress and the computer to entertain ourselves. The boys made their welcome home signs, and our day is almost here!

tired momma

Jack Jack's sign, he is so excited!

Working on Davis' sign, Davis gave up and went to bed

Goodbye Texas, Hello Connecticut (Again)

I knew this day was approaching, but nothing could prepare me for how sad I would be to leave Texas. There are no words to explain how much I have loved being with my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces since March! The boys have loved having family and I have loved having the support, company, and friendship only my sister can give me!

So as we pulled away and started our road trip, I let the tears pour. I don't often cry in front of my boys, but they were sad too and I wanted to let them know it was okay. We focused our road trip on getting to Connecticut and reuniting with Andy (Daddy), so that definitely helped our spirits.

Along our 2,000+ miles road trip, we got to see some states we hadn't been to and also had the luxury of visiting with Pat & Cait in D.C. and finally arriving in Connecticut and catching up with Sondra and Harper!

Goodbye Texas

the king with his sword

Aunt Terri bought Jack some new art supplies

Davis with his new art items

Photo Session

My sister and I have been talking about getting pictures of the kids taken for my parents, and wouldn't you know it we are leaving in two days and haven't taken pictures yet! Part of the problem was Jack accidentally got a buzz cut (he cried) and we have been waiting for his hair to at least grow in a little (very little) before the pictures. So in the photos Jack has very short hair, but a huge smile!

I love these littles so much!

Davis being a ham!

Taylor & Holly looking beautiful

love how much they love each other

my personal favorite

Even though it was last minute we captured a moment!

Choir Concert, Anyone?

Holly decided to take choir this year and tonight was their Christmas concert, who doesn't love a Christmas carol? Jack enjoyed hearing all the classic tunes and even the more modern songs. Davis and I listened from the back, since he was more interested in the refreshments :) It's hard to believe our time in Texas is almost over, but we can squeeze in some more memories between now and then!

Waiting to leave for the concert

Davis waiting by hiding in the laundry basket

An awful shot, but the small 6th grade choir

Jack's Field Trip

After a rough night with Davis, I was torn between leaving him and missing Jack's field trip, but my amazing sister made it an easy decision by taking the day off and taking care of Davis for me!

The day was spectacular, we loaded up on the school bus (which Jack was thrilled about riding) and headed to the Bob Bullock Museum to watch Happy Feet 2 at the Imax theater. I was in charge of four classmates and loved hearing all their stories and excitement over the day. After watching the movie we loaded up again and headed to CiCi's pizza for our late lunch.

I will never forget his first field trip and hope he doesn't either!

Headed to school...

Waiting for Happy Feet Two

Pizza at CiCi's

We Don't Have Time for This

Davis has been under the weather, poor guy! We have had allergy testing done, pneumonia and it seems like it is back again! We spent the day/evening in the hospital and thank goodness for iPhone and instant streaming Netflix! Yes, I am one of those moms that lets her littles watch movies/cartoons! He also worked on his photography skills during our visit.

I on the other hand spent the day worrying about him and how this would affect us moving back to Connecticut (so much to do between now & then) and if I would have to cancel being a chaperone for Jack's 1st school field trip!

We did make it home without an extended stay in the hospital, so that was a wonderful outcome!

Poor Little

Self Portraits

Thanksgiving Fun

Thanksgiving break was a whirlwind of a week! It was so much fun getting an entire week of from work and to relax. I was supposed to make a trip to see Andy in France, but due to timing and commitments with the boys, I didn't make it. I was disappointed, but turned my frown upside down and looked at the blessing of spending the holiday with my sister and family! Who knows how long it will be before I get another holiday with them.

The week was packed full of shopping (of course), getting ready to move back to Connecticut (less than a month to go), arts & crafts activities, scrapbooking, watching movies, and of course eating!

Jack doing his pow-wow call and he lost his shirt

Another Indian missing his shirt :)

I am blessed to have so many loving people in my life who offer support and cherish them more than anything!

Jack's Thanksgiving Program

Jack had his Thanksgiving program at school and what a show! Uncle Kev, Aunt Terri, Taylor, & Holly joined Davis & I in watching the kindergarten present their school program. Jack was a Pilgrim and practiced very hard at his songs and was proud of not forgetting any words!

Davis waiting for the show!

There he is plum in the middle!

Ringmaster of this Circus

The circus game to town (a small circus, but a circus) and I told them I already had the job of ringmaster (or at least in my own circus world)!

Taylor, Holly, Terri, Jack, Davis, & I left right after school to catch the circus and had a fantastic time! The boys were big fans of the motorcycle stunt drivers, I loved the kangaroo boxing, Taylor & Holly loved the cotton candy, and Terri was a fan of it all.

Did I mention that the boys rode an elephant, too? What a fabulous outing!

Jack & Davis are in the very back

loaded up on the elephant

boxing kangaroo

how does an elephant do that?

The End of the Season

With November comes the end of fall sports, so football for Jack, soccer for Taylor & Holly! The fall has flown by with all of the commitments that sports take and to have a free weekend will be a treat!

Jack celebrated the end of his season with a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday and watched some college football while eating, what a little man!

Holly and Taylor finished their season with soccer tournaments and Taylor's team was all state and Holly's team was second in the state! What superstars!!!

Lady Cats, Victory Cheer

Holly waiting to start her final game

Davis in a blurry moment celebrating Jack's season

Watching some football!

Trick or Treat

Jack, Davis, Holly, Delaney (one of the neighbors), Taylor, and I headed out for a night of trick or treating fun! Or should I say, Thor, Spiderman, a mime, hotdog, fairy and a makeshift Cat Woman took to the streets of The Arbors at Dogwood. The boys were troopers and walked to most of the houses and when Davis got tired we took turns pulling him in the wagon! Everyone looked fabulous in their costumes and made it home with loads of candy.

My favorite moment of the night was, "...this is the best house ever it's like a giant candy buffet..." Jack Hill, age 5.

Yes that's a human hotdog!

Thor, SpiderMan, & CatWoman