Anchors Aweigh!

3 hours and one killer sunburn later I have successfully waved my Sailor goodbye until he was nothing but a dot on the horizon. The pier was nothing but fluttering sundresses, windblown hair, cranky babies and wet tissues. I think that every husband and wife standing on the pier with me today would agree that of all the sounds in the world, the most depressing of all is the moan of a departing foghorn.

After the ship had dropped out of sight and the families had all meandered their way back to their cars, I made the mistake no Navy wife is ever supposed to make...I looked back. The space where the USS Chafee DD90 had once been was nothing but a big empty hole. It looked so rude sitting there all empty...no big structure with white bucket hats bobbing to and fro...no American flags flapping in the wind....nothing.

Depressing.

New teeth!

Ok, so I've reached a new record...3 posts in one day! but while I was online surfin' around Isabella was standing at my computer looking so cute and flashing those new teeth and I couldn't resist just one little post. She sure does know how to distract a mommy!

Hold on tight!

I've been told a few times that I'm a brisk walker...I never really thought so myself, but last night I had to laugh when I saw Isabella clutching her stroller for dear life while on our walk. Thought you might like this Lovie.

something I've been workin on

I've been working on a few sweets to send to my sweets for Valentines day, here is a peek at one of them....Bet you can't guess who this one is going to!

The lighting was not the best in the room that I was taking this picture in, and even when I turned the flash off it looked a little weird. I'll have another one to show you soon!

Sundays Best

I love Sundays, I always have. I have been trying to make the best of this Sunday in particular as it is the last Tyler and I will get to spend together before he leaves us for four months, kinda puts a damper on things, but when you're married to a Navy man you have to learn how to squeeze out every drop out of each day.

Today we visited a local church on base, Tyler and Isabella made such a fetching little pair that I had to snap their picture before we walked out the door. After church we went to this little Italian restaurant called Bravo. It's tucked away in a nook with palm trees and Hibiscus...not so Italian but the food is good and they have the most wonderful little ping-pong ball sized garlic rolls I've ever tasted, they come out piping hot, slathered in olive oil, garlic and basil and the best part is they replace your basket as soon as you run out...Mmm Mmm I love bread...After lunch we went home and took a nice, snuggly, little family nap, and when Isabella decided it was time to wake up we went out to town to run a few errands.

After I post this, we're going on our evening walk and then I'm hoping to fry some doughnuts...Yep! today has been the perfect last Sunday-before-deployment.

A Paula Deen Dinner

I love Paula Deen recipes...actually I quite adore them. Today was an exhausting day for both Tyler and me...Isabella has been sick all week which has resulted in severe lack of sleep for everyone. I've been so wrapped up in taking care of her that quite frankly my house has gone to the dogs, and poor Tyler has been eating a lot of macaroni. So tonight I wanted to make a good dinner and since it was later than we usually eat, I opted for a lighter meal of chicken salad stuffed tomatoes and a sweet corn, cherry tomato and avacado salad. I really liked these recipes, the chicken salad only called for 1 tablespoon of mayo. which made it so much lighter than normal chicken salads. And I will demolish anything with avacadoes in it. If you want to try these recipes, just go here.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35488,00.html

New shoes and a trip to the craft store

Well today has been a nice day for the two of us so far, Tyler has duty again today, he is on the ship until tomorrow morning, so it's just the Bella and me!

I bought Isabella her first pair of shoes, and I thought today we would take them for a spin...or rather a crawl. She was quite confused at first and clearly disgusted with the idea as she tugged, she pulled, she kicked, she bit, and she tried to eat them off her feet, but to no avail. I think finally she knew she was defeated and resolved to dragging her legs behind her when she crawled. I wonder if the fact that I thought that it was all hilarious makes me a bad mom?

I needed a craft fix so I got us both presentable (complete with the shoes, of course) and I headed my wagon in the direction of the closest craft store in town...I was halfway there when I got an urgent phone call from one desperate sailor...Tyler had left all of his Uniforms at home and there was an inspection on the ship today. Lets just say the turbo in my car came in quite handy...It was fun. After loading my basket up with loot and spending more than I meant to (paper is addictive!) we came home and received some quite juicy and oh-so-exciting news from Lovie...oooh wouldn't you like to know? my lips are sealed!

Valentine box

It's almost time for me to send out my Valentines! this year to add a little more zing, I'm making special boxes to put each person's treat in. I rather fancy them and I think I may make one for myself as well!

Impending loneliness

Deployment...Need I say more? I miss my buddy already :(

Naptime rebellion

I wonder if she thought she could outsmart me by peeing in her crib while I was changing her diaper, maybe she thought she wouldn't have to take a nap if her sheets were tinkled...but I just changed the sheets and her clothes. But then I swear could just hear those little wheels a turnin' in that little red head ...actually I could just hear her screaming over the baby moniter, but when I finally couldn't stand the madness anymore I went upstairs to retrieve my blazing ball of fury and this is what it looked like.

Isabella is growing up so fast, she's 7 months old and already trying pull up on furniture, Tyler and I bought her this play table for her to pull up on and stand at, she prefers the couch but will play with this maybe five minutes a day, I was able to sneak a few pictures of her...

Where's Isabella?!

Momentary panic this morning when I went to get Isabella a bottle and came back into an empty living room...after a quick glance around I caught the movement of little feet in the corner. Turns out, Isabella found herself a hiding spot, when I found her she peeked her head over the couch and gave me a cute little grin, she knew she had put her mommy in a tizzy, just look at the mischief in those eyes!

And now you know

Ever wondered what a calender looks like after it has been through the washing machine? Well wonder no more! thanks to my absent minded husband, I can now provide you with the visuals you need to satisfy your curiosity. Enjoy!

Busy Busy Busy!

Well, here are some pictures of my work desk. It's a little sad, actually. This particular house that they moved us into is a great deal smaller than our previous house, so there was no room for my crafting corner...we had to move me into the utility room by the hot water heater! you can actually see it in the pictures... the hose is actually coming in handy for hanging drying projects from. It's pretty cramped in here, but a cramped work space is better than no work space, and apparently I'm not the only one who's been moved into the utility room, because whenever I use my eyelett setter I make the neighbors dog bark.

I've been busy working on all kinds of projects lately, there is a huge craft fair coming to base in march and I'm planning on renting a table, and the best part is my friend from Japan may be coming too! I can't wait to show you pictures of some of my finished projects...I still have so much to do! I've been getting distracted by making Valentine....

Isabella got her shots yesterday. I hate it when she has to get shots, it really breaks my heart into pieces. But she was so brave, she only cried for a little bit and she only kicked the nurse once! the whole way home though she would sniffle every few seconds and give a half hearted whine so she could remind me that she was still not over it. Poor baby!

My day started out early this morning. Tyler had duty so he had to be on the ship by 6:30 am...I knew this would mess Isabella's schedule up but what could I do? so we groggily piled into the car to take our sailor to the pier. The goodbye kisses had been issued and Isabella had been consoled after the traumatic "walking away of the daddy" so away we puttered, back home to hopefully return to our warm and cozy bed/crib to continue our slumber...no such luck for this mommy! My little angel has successfully kept herself awake all day long only to snatch a half hour nap which I have suspicions was only to tease me into falling asleep long enough so she could mix up her famous post-nap poopie diaper. At one point she was so exhausted that her head was just too heavy for her to hold up while sitting in her high chair...but when placed in the crib...you guessed it! she was wide awake and had those legs going to so fast and so hard she could have won a bicycle marathon. I was in such a desperate state, that I thought a car ride was in order. It worked like a charm. She was out by the time I pulled out of the driveway.

Bella in a Bumbo

Have you ever heard of these Bumbo seats? they are great! Isabella loves to sit in her Bumbo seat and watch Baby Einsteins...they are also wonderful for those days when you just need five minutes to sit on the couch and eat your lunch...they're soft and safe for baby and they help her to sit up on her own but keep her from falling over, it also comforts Isabella when she's upset, I think it has something to do with having her own little seat and her own little place. I would totally recommend that every mom get one of these.

Isabella's a big girl!

Mom is making me a floppy seat so that Isabella can sit up in the cart, but yesterday I decided to buy a cheapy just to make sure that she was ready for such a big step...when I put her in the cart seat she was a little unsure as to what to think...but after a few minutes she was all smiles and full of exuberant joy with her new found independence!