Christensen

Elvis's Week

2011-07-31T20:40:00.001+10:00

On Tuesday night the mosquitoes were out with a vengeance after a massive rainstorm! Elvis loves to dig and it doesn't help he rides low to the ground. They got him good!

About 12 mg of children's benadryl over a couple of hours & he returned to somewhat normal.

It wasn't funny (but it was), because we felt for him. We knew he had to have been miserable!

Now we laugh hysterically!

(we tried being a little more sensitive the night of)

Then on Thursday night...

Another massive rainstorm hit & this puppy who "HATES" getting wet, didn't want to come in because he was digging and digging and digging!

OH! Now he hates the water, when he has to get a bath because he was literally dripping with mud.

See having dogs is like having children!

37 weeks

2011-07-28T11:35:00.000+10:00

How did the time go by this quickly?

My 36 week appointment was wonderful. Everything was perfect & that's all I can ask for.

As of now my due date is 2 weeks away (but I know that doesn't really mean anything). I have worries and excitement all rolled up into a ball. Simply, I'm thankful to Heavenly Father that this pregnancy has been an uncomplicated one, our daughter is healthy, we have supportive family & friends on Guam. It's truly been all that we could ask for.

On Monday I have my next appointment. I'm excited to hear what the doctor says to see if I've progressed anymore since my last visit. I hope Heavenly Father continues to watch over us as we near the big day.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-28T11:20:00.000+10:00

Naval Base Guam hosted a Freedom Festival to celebrate this Grand Holiday. The event was kicked off with a parachute jumper (courtesy of Aaron's command) as the National Anthem was sung.

This man with his water buffalo (or Carabao as they're called on Guam) and 2 dogs is kind of a celebrity here and he walked in the parade with the Carabao adorned in flowers.

Everyday he walks alongside Marine Corps. Dr (the main "highway" on Guam) while these 2 dogs are sitting on top. He's always a big hit!

Welcome to Navy Blvd!

A submarine replica one of the boats made & drove through the parade.

Here's us at the Festival. The weather was gloomy & rainy, but for us that's a nice change!

2011-06-20T10:41:00.000+10:00

I had the car seat out recently and Max became a little curious. I scooped him up, placed him in it, and funnily enough he didn't budge!

In fact, he looks rather cozy here doesn't he?

The joke at our house has been Max will have the hardest time adjusting. I think these flags are letting us know Max loves being the baby & isn't ready to give it up!

The Boys

I've been informed when baby girl gets here it will be Girls vs. Boys. How they seem to forget though I've been outnumbered for the past 2 1/2 years?

(I'm sure it'll change though once they get a look at how cute she is-I'm talking about the dogs here)

Aaron's EXW Pinning

2011-06-20T10:18:00.000+10:00

Aaron being pinned by his Chief

Aaron with the Executive Officer

Medical Team

Last week was a great week for Aaron! He received the Expeditionary Warfare Pin for his command. It's a 2 part exam, written & oral. He only had about a week & a half to study (some guys had much more time). The exam covers various information specific to his command. Anywhere from administrative to guns to radios. The oral part took about 3 hours to complete. Very intensive stuff he's got to know, but I was fully confident he'd ace it! His girls are very proud I must say!

CHEERS TO AARON!

32 Weeks

2011-06-20T10:00:00.001+10:00

Ok, I think I want to stop growing now!

My 32 week appointment went well. Heartbeat is still in 140s, kicking, stretching, rolling around like a busy bee, and head down, eek! I asked the doctor how big she thinks she is, after feeling around on my tummy a bit her guess was about 3 1/2 pounds now! Our bug is getting big & strong!

All kinds of emotions are sinking in now because everyday it feels more real. I can't believe we're going to be parents soon!

Our little Island Baby

2011-06-20T09:50:00.001+10:00

Earlier this month, Mary& Norma hosted my second baby shower. They surprised me with the theme of "Island Baby" Cute, right? I'd been thinking I wanted pregnancy pictures taken,with a few at the beach, since she'll be our island baby. They nailed this one on the head! It was a fun shower and I felt the love a 1000x over again for this one!

Photo album generated with Smilebox

I didn't have enough text space to tell you what the surprise was. Mary had the guests write Motherly advice for me, which I knew. What I didn't know was she contacted my mother, grandmothers, and aunts so that they could be apart of the day and send words of advice as well. ( A flood of emotions hit that shocked me and so I hid my face because I started crying ) I loved it all and couldn't believe how special Norma & Mary made this day! Love to them both!

28 Weeks

2011-05-24T14:51:00.001+10:00

So here's life at 28 weeks!

I feel good and I'm measuring right on spot according to my appointment last week. I've gained about 20 lbs and each time we do these pictures I'm amazed! Is my belly really that big now? Watching my body change has been a fun experience. I remember reading how it becomes harder to do things, like getting up off the couch or out of bed, and bending down.

They're right. It does.

Living on a tropical island has it's advantages, but being pregnant makes for a whole new adventure. I eat popsicles like mad!! I remember one day I was not having it. That night I laid up in my bed eating a raspberry Italian ice popsicle. I was the happiest pregnant lady (not to mention the back rub from Aaron). I slept like a baby. I think my hormones are just now catching up. I didn't feel too emotional in the beginning. Over the last few weeks though I've cried a number of times! Certain songs, the heat, my skin (pregnancy is wreaking havoc on my face!) my aching feet or twisted back...it all brought me to tears. Thanks to my dear hubby for being sensitive to my needs and making me feel better. OK, I better stop. I feel the water works coming on.

Getting Ready for Baby

2011-05-24T14:28:00.001+10:00

The day before the baby shower our crib furniture arrived! My sweet husband worked so hard the day before, moving the furniture out of the 2nd bedroom into another area in the house and putting the baby furniture in the bedroom. Needless to say, I felt extremely loved and special that week! He worked so hard to get the furniture together, so I could show my guests the next day.

I must also tell you Aaron picked out the crib & dresser! Our options are kind of limited here on Guam, but he found the most beautiful set at the Air Force base exchange. He told me about it & a few days later we went so he could show me. Aaron was worried that I may not like it, but when I told him I thought it was perfect, his face lit up! I think he enjoyed being apart of all this in a big way, and I try to brag when I get the chance. He did an Awesome job!

Max showing a little interest here. We think he's going to have the hardest time adjusting.
Maybe this is a good sign?

It was fun and exciting for me to watch my husband do this for our little girl.

I have to say I definitely fell in love with him a little more that day.

We're on our way to getting ready for this baby! That's all the pics you guys get for now. I'm not finished with her room, but you better believe I'll put up the pictures when it's done.

The Sweestest Baby Shower

2011-05-24T14:04:00.000+10:00

Andrea, Me & Steph

On May 14th, two of my dear friends, Andrea & Stephanie, hosted my first baby shower! They put together the sweetest shower. I loved everything about it and felt so loved by them and those who came. We enjoyed some yummy food, a few baby games, opening gifts, and chit-chatting.

I forgot to get pics of the food laid out, but it was pretty nonetheless.

'Baby Girl'

My gift from Stephanie. I love the rocking chair! Sooooo Sweet!

Everyone guessing how big I am. Funny how my 2 hostess had cut the BIGGEST ribbon,

Hmmmm, thanks guys! (I still love them though)

Kayla, Kristi, Christy, & Tonya

Norma & Me

Her first pair of shoes from Andrea

The yellow nightie is adorable!

My guests were so kind and gracious to give me such wonderful gifts. Our little girl is on her way and everyone has helped us prepare for her. The deepest and most sincere thanks for all their love and support during this exciting time. Stephanie & Andrea were amazing hostesses and did a fabulous job! Everything they did to make me feel special on this day was above & beyond my imagination!

The Baby and I are lucky girls to have them as friends!

25 Weeks

2011-04-30T11:06:00.000+10:00

Here we are at 25 weeks!

I'm really not sure how BIG I am because obviously I had my body turned at a slight angle in some. I can't believe how far along we've come. I remember that early December morning I peed on a stick like it was yesterday. I can't decide if it's going by slow or quick.

I feel her move often now. Kicks, punches, rolls....she's got alot going on it seems. I love feeling everything though. I am simply amazed at being able to feel this little life growing inside.

Somebody's 31

2011-04-22T09:40:00.001+10:00

Everyone singing to the Birthday Boy!

Cheesecake with cherries on top every year.

Uh-oh...Trick Candles!!! ( I even forgot they were trick)

Plus, it's good lung exercise now that he's 31.

Here we are and here he is rockin' the high tops.

He said he was trying to bring it back (no one at work was on board).

(Dear, Please leave it in the 90s, along with your youth. Love, Me)

I reassure him that I love him no matter the age, plus I kinda like older men (haha!)

Happy Birthday Aaron!

I love you and am proud to be your wife.

Max, the Helper

2011-04-22T09:09:00.000+10:00

This is Max's idea of helping with chores.

Laying on top of warm freshly laundered clothes.

Then he has the nerve to get grumpy when I start folding them.

Spoiled?

(Don't answer)

An Elvis Excursion

2011-04-22T09:02:00.000+10:00

Our house in located on top of a hill and we have no neighbors behind us. What does this mean? Free roam for the dogs to dig, smell, chase, bark, and MANY other things their mischievous minds can think of. Usually on a Friday or Saturday night you can find us outside on the back porch shooting the breeze with friends as ALL of our dogs are playing till their hearts' content. It really is a "dog's life" on our hill.

I'm certain most of Elvis's thoughts are consumed with "When can I go back outside??" ; "I can't wait to DIG!!"; "It's night...the shrews are out. I must hunt." He will stay out for HOURS keeping himself fully occupied and zoned in with his "task" at hand. He's in full miniature dachshund mode and it can be hilarious to watch at times.

This particular night he stopped to grace those of us on the porch with his presence. How he looked makes my skin crawl!! The grass on the side of the hill hadn't been cut in some time and these little seeds stick to the dogs like glue.

You can see his friend Batey here checkin' him out sayin' "BOY! What you got all of you?"

And here's a full frontal of all those SEEDS!!!

I don't know what about it makes my skin crawl, but the look of it just grosses me out (and I hate havin' to pick them off). It's like he has some sort of skin condition or leprosy, but he LOVES every minute he has to explore his hill.

Oh yeah, this is a shrew. Never heard of them until I came here. Many little shrew graves exist in our backyard thanks to Elvis and Max.

When they find one, we hear high pitched squeaks for a few minutes and then SILENCE.

(I'm just glad they aren't cats and bring it as a gift from them to me)

Half Way There

2011-04-19T07:31:00.001+10:00

April marks the half way point for our tour in Guam. THAT I cannot believe. I remember thinking the morning we arrived (at 3AM), and after I had gotten a few hours sleep from hectic the 16+ hour move, 'What did I just do???' Aaron on the other hand was lovin' it. I couldn't understand him, but I'm thankful he was cheerful.

Obviously, our reactions were opposite.

He was excited to be in a new place, I was scared outta my mind. It was the first time I've ever been homesick and I couldn't imagine 'how looooonnnggg 3 years were going to take!!' Yet here we are half way done, a year and half later, we've made our home comfy and familiar. I knew I would get to this point and I refused to have a bad attitude the entire time we were going to be stationed in Guam. I only needed some time to adjust.

Guam has been good to us. We have Aaron's cousins, the Greenwood family, stationed here too. Our next door neighbors, the Peters, & our other set of friends, the Burns-Garrett crew, hale from the Deep South (can I get a Roll Tide!), we have our dear friends, the Nielsens, who followed us from Virginia Beach. Not to mention all the other wonderful people we've met and become friends with as well.

Aaron has really enjoyed working at his command. He tells me all the time how nice it is to be working with the kind of people he does. He's been able to do some incredible traveling for work:

Japan, India, South Korea, the Philippines and Rota (a tiny island north of us)

Japan

@ the Hobbit House restaurant in the Philippines

Hard at work in Rota

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've stepped out on our back porch and seen the most beautiful rainbows, or how many nights we've been outside hanging with our neighbors & we see a shooting star. I'll miss that.

(I didn't take this pic, but this is what the rainbows generally look like here)

and I'll miss scenes like these...

It's been something else living on this side of the world. We've had opportunities to travel together to Fiji, Palau, Rota. and the Philippines. We're hoping to get to Hong Kong in May (we originally were going to Japan) and at least Australia or China before we leave.

HOWEVER
My Hair and Skin will NOT miss this hot humid weather year round.

Some days this is what I feel like

We both really miss having 4 seasons to enjoy

(but not when we hear about snowstorms slamming parts of the U.S.)

Lots of blessings have come our way since being in Guam. We're experiencing military life in different aspects ....by living & working on base, Aaron had his 1st 6 month deployment since we've been married, your friends truly become family (even though we're lucky enough to actually have family on island). We are seeing the Church work in a different part of the world and learning so much too.

I don't want to admit it, but I'm thinking a little part of me will miss all we have come to love about Guam.

It's a Girl...100% Sure

2011-03-28T07:35:00.000+10:00

We got a better shot the second time around, YEAH!! I'm sure all you mama's know what you're looking at, but I'll explain it anyways. You're looking at her bottom with her two little legs straight out. The perks to having a doctor in the family. We've gotten about 8 ultrasound pictures of this munchin, spoiled already! I'm so thankful Than was willing to do this for us again. My "motherly instinct" knew we're having a girl, but it's nice to know for sure.

We have at least 1 name picked out. I'm about 85% certain we're gonna go with that, but I'm keeping my eyes open in case I (We) like something better. We picked the name 2 months ago and I was shocked Aaron liked it right away. I thought he'd turn me down. It's all become so real to me the last few days, I can't even imagine how our life will change. I sit and daydream what it'll be like, but I'm unable to wrap my mind around what's about to happen.

Now, onto planning a sweet nursery and resisting to buy all the cute clothes out there!

PINK IT IS...

2011-03-24T08:40:00.000+10:00

Or at least we are pretty confident it's a girl. Baby wasn't holding still for very long and she had her legs curled in each time we tried taking a peak. I was hoping for a resounding, "IT'S A GIRL!' pose, but it just wasn't happening. We loved seeing her though. She had her hands up near her face at one point, we could see her strong heart beating again, we saw the cutest little feet, oh we can't wait to snuggle with her!! I will have to say, towards the end of our long search we saw a 'thumbs up' so I'm taking that as "You're right I'm a little girl. I just am being shy." We're gonna have Aaron's cousin, Than, take me back up to the hospital in the next few days and try for another ultrasound. Hopefully then she's in a different position.

Isn't that the cutest little foot in the world??

Here we are at 20 weeks

Pink or Blue?

2011-03-22T15:00:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow we are getting an ultrasound and if BABYcooperates we'll see if we are welcoming a little boy or little girl into our family. We are excited that this day has finally come!! I can't wait to start preparing for this little baby with the cute clothing, crib, adorable bedding, and all the fun things we need. I can't believe I'm 5 months pregnant now!! I would have to say overall it's been a good pregnancy thus far. I was never horribly sick, I'm gaining weight moderately, and just this last week have I started to become frustrated with my wardrobe. I got a few maternity things yesterday, which was fun shopping for (waiting on an order from Old Navy in the meantime). Everything is happening so quickly, August will be here before we know it.

I really am unsure what we're having...I've talked to several friends on what is was like for them:
1) A couple of them seemed to stop growing hair -they've both had only girls- CHECK For ME

2) My mother craved fruits with my older brother, sweets with me, chip & salsa with my younger brother-Fresh juicy fruits have satisfied my cravings and I've only recently been wanting sweets. At first, I wanted savory salty foods - Kinda of Check for both????

3) My neighbor wanted ice cold things-she has an adorable little boy-CHECK AGAIN

4) Another one hardly got sick with her first 3 (all girls) & not so much with her 2 younger ones-both boys- their little surprise at the end ,she was sick as a dog, and ended up having a sweet baby girl-?????

I took one of those gender quizzes online, it predicts a boy. The water aerobics instructor today said she's going with boy. Aaron has been pretty confident we'll have a girl....oh my, I just don't know!

Of course though, whatever we are blessed with will make us happy. We just want a healthy happy baby to love.

A Fruit Bat Dinner

2011-03-16T11:11:00.000+10:00

We had a really fun dinner one night at this little Palauan Restaurant.The Palauan's eat fruit bat and after we were done with our meal, the nice ladies brought out a dish for everyone to try. It was so much fun watching the kids and everyone get into it!

The Fruit Bat is all ready for dinner with his bow and everything.

Fruit Bat Soup anyone??

Rhianna and Farrah were the first daredevils to try out this Palauan Dish!

Everyone followed suit!

Alyssa says "Yum"

Aaron throws a little bit of the wing in his mouth!

Preston dives into the dish as well

Little Eli doesn't shy away from it...

So of course I wanted to see what it's all about and had to do a little convincing for Mary and Norma to jump on board!! Aaron got some video of the women.

It was a fun dinner.The REAL food we ate was really good!!

(My belly is sticking out a bit from all the food we ate. Don't worry, Baby C was o.k. with the fruit bat)

We loved getting the opportunity to vacation with Aaron's family!! We love those guys so much & we got to make a lot of wonderful memories with the Greenwoods!! We sure are lucky to have them in Guam with us and to explore the world with them.

Dolphin Excursion

2011-03-16T10:33:00.000+10:00

We got a day to hang out with some dolphins for a couple of hours.

We were limited in the pictures we were allowed to take.

There's an option to swim with them, but it was really expensive & they don't allow pregnant woman to swim with dolphins. It was fun nonetheless!

This is the facility where they train & take care of 5 dolphins and 2 baby dolphins

Here's the trainer rewarding one of the dolphins after a stunt!

So cute!! It's a Mama and her Baby!

Layla the dolphin, and me shaking hands!!

Palau Vacation

2011-03-16T10:16:00.000+10:00

Last week we took a family vacation with the Greenwoods! The Nielsen Family came along too. I made a slide show with a few of the pictures and I'll try to explain what all we did.

The first thing I should explain is Jellyfish Lake. We took a boat and then did a little hike to get there, which was totally worth it!! It's a lake you can snorkel in that has thousands (I mean THOUSANDS) of Jellyfish that are stingless. Jellyfish follow sunlight & it happened to be a cloudy day. There wasn't much of them out at first, then it's as though they started appearing out of nowhere. You are completely surrounded by these orange sea creatures just floating effortlessly through the water.

Next thing is the Milky Way. It was a body of water that's somewhat secluded from the rest of the ocean. It's a beautiful color, but you can't see the bottom (which is only 10-15 ft). It was very very salty & the clay from the bottom was stinky. The kids & everyone started playing around putting the clay on everyone's head. I didn't get any snapshots of the fun, but you get the idea.

Enjoy the Show!

Free scrapbook design generated with Smilebox

Spanish Steps

2011-02-24T11:07:00.000+10:00

On Monday since we both had the day off, we decided to do a little exploring. We went hiking down Spanish Steps. It's an old area built by the ancient Spanish who settled here. There’s a hike down a steep cliff along the Spanish steps to a secluded beach. You had to use ropes at a few spots to help guide yourself down. We were hiking through the jungle among all the palm trees, steep cliffs, and sometimes rocky terrain. It's not a very long hike, which was nice, but fun nonetheless!!

The Spanish constructed a drinking water well at sea level and hiked up and down the steps to retrieve water. At the bottom there's a small rocky beach where we got some snorkeling in and saw all the pretty fish and coral. It was alot of fun spending a few hours getting outside and enjoying the beauty of Guam. It was definitely one of those days that I couldn't believe, I live here!

16 Weeks Along

2011-02-24T10:41:00.004+10:00

It's actually different being able to see a picture of myself beginning to show. I feel like my belly sticks out alot further than this picture seems to tell. On the same token its exciting for me to see a little bump! My pregnancy so far has been good. I have only gotten sick twice -both times were kinda my own fault- other than that I have been nauseous in the morning and extremely tired. Good news is since we're in the 2nd

tri-mester it's mostly all subsided!! I can get worn out easily, but it's so nice to be feeling more energetic. Aaron has been very helpful. He hasn't complained about my cooking & cleaning skills lacking a bit, has pitched in alot, and been a really good hubby! I love him : )

Baby Makes Three!

2011-02-21T15:00:00.000+10:00

We're expecting our first little one August 9th!! Aaron & I could not be more excited about the news!! We are going to have ourselves a little Guammie Baby! There's so much to prepare and we are VERY VERY thankful to have loving family & friends (both near & far) surrounding us. We know here on Guam we have such a great family to support us during this exciting time!! We also know everyone stateside is there as well.

I've had 2 appointments so far and things are progressing well. Aaron couldn't be there for the first appointment, but we were able to make up for it (pays to have a doctor in the family). His cousin who works at the hospital took us up when Aaron returned home. It was AMAZING to hear the heartbeat and see the little squirt moving around on the ultrasound screen. It was surreal to see the movements, but not able to feel it inside. Having a child really is a miracle (I understand a little better now what that really means).

Aaron's convinced it's a girl, I'm thinking a boy...we'll see who's right next month.

Any guesses from you folks?

I am a slacker

2011-01-20T19:01:00.001+10:00

I know it's been a few months since my last posting, but to be honest there hasn't been much to post about. Work was EXTREMELY busy from about the end of September through November. Then I left towards the middle of November to be with Aaron for a few days, since he had a "off week" & after that trip I headed back stateside. I spent Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's with my family. It was a nice visit and sure helped the time pass by, but I'm glad to be back on our little island of Guam and am now anticipating the homecoming of my honey!! I can't believe it's been almost 6 months, but I sure am glad it's over shortly. It's gotten a little too lonely around the house with just me and the dogs. I can't wait to get back in the swing of things and catch up with what all of ya'll have been up to the last 3 months. Here's to a New Year of Happy Postings!!

Deployment

2010-09-20T22:28:00.000+10:00

Aaron left early August for his 6 month deployment. We have been able to skype often (thank heaven for skype!). He is doing well and going to be training alot of other military on medical things. He's keeping busy that's for sure. Aaron is most definitely missed by all his friends and family here on Guam! Distance makes the heart grow fonder and I'm really getting to learn what being a military spouse means. But hey, it's gonna make me stronger and make us both stronger in our marriage. It's not the easiest thing, but there are worse things to endure. He's keeping busy and I've got plenty to keep my busy too. We have some wonderful friends and neighbors who I know I can count on. Even better, we are lucky enough to have Aaron's family stationed on Guam too. I know I can turn to them on a moment's notice if I needed it. We have plenty of loved ones to keep me company and await Aaron's arrival home. That's all that's new for the Christensen household. We can't wait for Aaron to get home! And we can't wait to get our little family started!

Fiji Recap

2010-09-20T22:10:00.000+10:00

Shame on me! I know what I wrote, and I completely slacked! I quickly posted pictures on facebook and thought it was a little redundant to blog about it. I don't really know how many stumble across my blog anymore, so I let it take the back burner. Plus, the last few months have been so busy. Aaron left in August for his 6 month deployment. I had alot going on with work, church, and our command's family group. Not complaining, because it helps the time pass.

So here it is. I created a slide show with a few pictures of our romantic trip to Fiji! It was so nice to be away just the 2 of us and on a vacation for just the 2 of us. I don't think we've done that since our honeymoon. The weather, the beaches, the couples massage, the atmosphere...it was all perfect! I'm so thankful we had that time together before he left. It meant alot to us both.

I hope you enjoy!

Free slideshow design created with Smilebox

Vacation for 2

2010-06-29T18:58:00.001+10:00

In just a matter of a few days, we'll be on our way to our

Fiji Vacation for 2

I can hardly stand the wait! I'll be sure to have lots of pictures and new posts!

We're off to more sun and beautiful beaches!

See ya when we get back!

Navy Achievement Medal

2010-06-11T09:23:00.002+10:00

Aaron was recently awarded another Navy Achievement Medal. I was so excited to be there and be apart of this moment. In January, he was called up by his command around 9:30 p.m. to go to the hyperbaric chamber (click here to learn more about chambers) because a local diver was experiencing serious (if not fatal) decompression sickness, "the bends." I remember that night because he didn't come home until 6:30 a.m. The diver fully recovered from his injury. When someone is sick like that, Aaron's job is to be in the chamber with the person during the entire treatment, essentially acting as the "doctor's hands." The reason why a doctor cannot go into the chamber is because it could impair their judgement. Needless to say, I am very proud of my husband and of what he does. He has worked very hard to get where he is in the military and I admire that about him. It was very special for me to be there and watch Aaron receive an award.

Plus, I will say there's something about watching my man in uniform pretty much do anything. Receive an award. Working. Training. Cleaning house-o.k., maybe that doesn't happen, but nothing wrong with a fantasy, ha!

Yup, sexy right here!

I LOVE YOU BABE!

Gignormosaurus

2010-06-11T08:38:00.003+10:00

We went out for breakfast one Saturday morning to a local restaurant, Jan-Z's. My husband likes to eat, a lot. I don't know how or why he can eat so much, but he does and is proud of it. This morning he wanted blueberry pancakes. We heard the pancakes were huge, and the boy thought he could take on a stack of 3. I remember the waitress coming around the corner with our order, it was literally a balancing act. Good thing he didn't order eggs or hashbrowns. The giant blueberry pancakes kicked his "arse" big time. Never again will he order those, 1 should be fine our next visit. Good try honey.

Ritidian Point

2010-06-11T08:22:00.001+10:00

We went exploring towards the north end of the island around Ritidian Point. We had to drive down a steep mountain to get here; it was beautiful once we arrived at our destination. It feels like a secluded beach tucked away from tourism and other chaos.

I most definitely see myself going back with cooler in tow, beach hat, beach chair, sunscreen, and a good novel.

Soak it up my friends!

The water seemed very low to me this time. Guam's beaches are unique because the coral reef is several yards out from the shore.

I thought these cliff's were interesting. There's a cave behind them, seems to make for a good "deserted island" mystery book, huh?

Or they could start a new series, "Lost: Where They Really Ended Up"

I was hoping to find a colorful starfish, but this is the closest "colorful" thing I stumbled upon.

Don't ask me what it is, I don't know.

Really?

2010-06-08T15:21:00.001+10:00

It's been a month since I've posted, I hadn't even realized. I do have some updates, but I don't know where the camera is (I think 'the boy' took it on his trip). He gets home soon and then hopefully I'll be able to add a post or two.

We're alive and well in Guam!

(I occasionally refer to my hubs as 'the boy', fyi)

Max

2010-04-25T17:06:00.001+10:00

If I told you we staged this picture, then I'd be lying. This is really what my dog believes. Hope this makes a good laugh for you. I sure think it's cute (and wrong that Max knows how spoiled he is.)

OH NO! The BIG 3-0

2010-04-23T08:16:00.001+10:00

Last Friday, we celebrated Aaron's 30th Birthday at a little Italian restaurant (yes, on Guam) with several friends and family. He really enjoyed spending the night with all the people he loves to be around. I made his favorite dessert, Cheesecake! For his gift I bought him a PJ38 Lightning, Model Airplane. I wanted to give something extra special since you only turn 30 once. Several months ago, we're watching the military history channel on a show about historic WWII planes. He mentions this particular plane is his "ALL-TIME favorite" I made a mental note & tucked it away. Then I remembered Aaron telling me as a kid his mother would buy model planes to keep him busy during the summer months, while she had to work. Fortunately, I was able to find exactly what I was looking for & I could hardly wait to give it to him. I hope he enjoys the plane! He loves building things and I can't wait to post pictures of his beautiful finished product!! It might be a while since he's in and out so much. I'm incredibly grateful that I am the one who spends birthdays with him. He's a wonderful husband and treats me like a Queen! Aaron's an excellent provider for our family and will be a great dad. I love his adventurous spirit and his deep sense of loyalty. I love his playful nature and generosity towards others. There are dozens of qualities I admire about Aaron. He puts up with me, so I gotta give him credit for that too : ) My goal was for him to feel as special as I think he is on this birthday!

I love you babe!

Happy 30th!

The Jeep.

2010-03-29T15:39:00.000+10:00

It was a bittersweet weekend for us (mostly me). We sold Aaron's Jeep. We wanted to get rid of it while in Guam, but I didn't see it coming this quickly. This Jeep has sentimental value to me since this was his car when we first met. We had a long distance relationship, so on weekends when he'd visit me I'd see him pull around the corner in that white jeep making my heart flutter. Or when I'd visit him in Panama City, FL, while he was in Dive School, we'd ride around that beach town with the top down drinking Sonic Limeades. I can't believe that summer was almost 4 years ago! We had so much fun dating and falling in love. It was def sad to see the jeep go, even though alot of positive things will come from us selling it. I'm a cheese ball and I know I'm being cheesy, it was sad to see a little part of our history go though. On to new chapters, I guess.

(unfortunately this is the only pic I had with the Jeep in it on our computer)

It's the oddest thing...

2010-03-15T09:14:00.000+10:00

To not talk with your spouse, know where they are, how they are doing, when exactly they will be home. Don't get me wrong it's not the first time we've been through this, it's just been a while since we've had to. I wasn't exactly prepared this time around. I got so spoiled having Aaron home the last 8 months. He should be coming home soon (I think?). I really miss that boy. I hope he misses me.

Rota: Our island Getaway

2010-02-25T16:14:00.000+10:00

This past week I was able to tag along with Aaron (& 2 other guys) on his "work trip" to Rota. It's a tiny island (about half the size of Guam) approximately 50 miles north. It was the perfect getaway! Very much secluded and untouched by tourists, unlike Guam. I cannot describe enough how beautiful this island is. We loved our time in Rota and were even lucky enough to enjoy some of the locals as well. We were also invited to attend a birthday party with some traditional Chamorro food. They were all very incredibly friendly & welcoming.

I created a slide show with some of our pictures.

Make a Smilebox photo slideshow

WARNING:

PICTURES BELOW MAY CAUSE YOU TO BE INTENSELY JEALOUS.

AND I DON'T FEEL TOO TERRIBLY GUILTY ABOUT IT EITHER

Aaron & one of the other guys....hard at work

(I promise...they did work some while in Rota)

Yes the water is that clear & that turquois

The beaches looked like they were straight out of those Corona Commercials

Had to get a snapshot of myself on the beach!

The Bird Sanctuary

Along the other side of the island are cliffs where a variety of seabirds nest...

Below is where they all live, in the tops of trees.

Just a view from the bird sanctuary

Latte Stone Quary

I don't have much info of the history of why these quaries were important to the ancient Chamorros...I need to do some better reasearch. Either way they were pretty impressive

Fisherman's Cliffs

These were huge cliff where you could see the fish swimming below. My adventurous husband walked all the way to the tip...he really will give me a heart attack one day.

We could actually see some fishy's swimming! I couldn't believe how crystal clear the water was from the cliffs

Wedding Cake Mountain

(yup, it's supposed to look like a wedding cake)

At the airport they had these plane engines that were fished out from the ocean on display...kinda cool...kinda scary to think about too!

I hope you guys enjoyed the pictures as much as we enjoyed Rota. I really have to pinch myself over & over again when I look at them. I can't believe we were actually there! It was a wonderful trip we shared together.

This snapshot really doesn't get old, does it?

I have to pinch myself....

2010-02-22T16:31:00.000+10:00

Aaron & I are spending a few days here on this insanely beautiful island of Rota (just north of Guam). I cannot believe how serene this place is...more blogging to come about our little island getaway when I get back home in a few days!

Your Newest Scuba Diver!

2010-02-08T09:28:00.001+10:00

Here we are descending to about 50 feet

I'm being very cautious...since i'm a scaredy cat

(L-R: Aaron, Me, Instructor)

Still descending, Jackie, my instructor, gives me the "YOU O.K.?" signal

I signaled back "I'm O.K."

GROUP PIC

My Scuba Class...I'm on the far right

One of the things I got to see on my first underwater trek

To put into words the feelings I had this past week... tension, anxiety, nervousness, stomach aches, accomplishment, pure awe, excitement... there's so much bundled into this entire adventure. We started off in the classroom to go over things we learned through bookwork & DVD. We hit the pool to practice our skills learned (i froze that night!!) and then 2 days of open water diving, again practicing just a few of the skills we learned in confined water. There were times I was so scared and wanted to quit. I was on the verge of tears at one point, because I couldn't calm myself down. (I didn't cry..I pulled it together!).

It's such a unique feeling to breathe underwater and absolutely incredible to be among the beautiful sea life!! I really couldn't believe I was there...hundreds of fish swimming above me...around me...underneath me...it was exhilarating! Aaron was able to accompany us on the open water dives, which brought peace of mind to me. I am really happy we were able to experience my first dives together. I am so proud of myself for accomplishing this new thing I wanted to try! All of the nerves was worth seeing the most beautiful sea animals and plants on the planet. I can't believe I actually did it!

(just a side note-we also were able to see a huge pod of spinner dolphins while on the boat we used to scuba off...very very cool! there was even a baby dolphin! so cute)

Scuba Britney??

2010-02-01T08:48:00.002+10:00

Today, I begin my scuba diving certification class. A little nervous I gotta say! I had always planned on becoming certified when we came to Guam and made it a goal to have it done by the end of January (o.k., so I'm off by a week). The hubs is very excited for me to finally get it accomplished. I have to complete 'homework' from an instruction manual before class meets, and Aaron will occasionally ask "Have any questions?" and has been really good with explaining things. ( Aaron has been diving hundreds of times, knows a thing or two about it all and will thankfully be here to ease my fears) I should complete my certification by the end of the weekend and ready to conquer the seas! Well maybe not yet, I'm a bit of a 'scaredy cat' and probably won't go pass all the pretty coral and fish...that will satisfy my taste just fine. We live on an island with some of the best diving in the world and I really can't pass the opportunity up, no matter how much of a chicken I may be.

Another year older and wiser too

2010-01-26T14:21:00.000+10:00

Yes friends, I have recently celebrated another birthday (eek!!). Two of our neighbors & I have birthdays within like a week of each other. They had been planning a birthday party together and surprised me by celebrating my birthday too. It was so incredibly sweet of them to include me! People were invited over, we had pizza and relaxed. They made a football birthday cake for us & we exchanged gifts. (our next door neighbors are from Alabama too...small small world) The hubs gave me a kitchen aid mixer! Man, I tell ya he spoils me way too much!! It was a great night of celebrating! I'm such a lucky girl. I have a wonderful husband, terrific friends, and family who loves me.

Roll Tide Roll

2010-01-08T09:16:00.001+10:00

I just have to give a shout out to the college football team I grew up watching,

University of Alabama. They're heading off with Texas for the BCS Title Game. Alabama has had a fantastic season and I cannot wait for the game in a couple of hours. It's at times like this I wish I was back in my home state. You can taste, see, & feel the excitement during the regular football season. I can't even imagine the ELECTRICITY with them being #1 in the nation & playing for the National Championship Title. Oh, how I wish I was there. Just know, I'll be here in Guam on this beautiful friday morning rooting you on!

Roll Tide Roll! Give 'em Hell Alabama!

Our First Christmas in Guam

2009-12-29T22:13:00.001+10:00

A gift this big has gotta be good...

What could it possibly be?

Man's 2nd best friend, a hot fiery grill

I love watching him open gifts, he's like a little kid when he does

(I'm excited he gets to cook occasionally now... so it's kinda like a gift for the both of us!)

Christmas Dinner

We had a lovely Christmas this year. Aaron & I spent the morning eating a quiet breakfast exchanging gifts with one another. I'm just thankful he made it home in time to spend the holiday with us. He had an unexpected overnight delay in Tokoyo.

Anyways, my sweet husband picked up bath items from Bath & Body Works as my gift, before he left the states. Stress Relief, (I'm not sure if he's trying to tell me something) but I love it! It makes my skin all tingly feeling & very relaxing. My mother had sent me a necklace that is too cute. We spent the evening with family and enjoyed our fabulous Christmas dinner of fondue & finger foods. I hope all of you had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with your families.

Sending our love and best wishes for the New Year,

Aaron & Britney

Thanks Gran & Mom!

2009-12-23T11:23:00.000+10:00

I don't have many Christmas decorations. I have this little 4 ft. tree & a few ornaments. We've lived in apartments and didn't have the room for anything bigger. I really wanted to decorate alot this year to make our first Christmas in Guam feel like home. However, I didn't have a few hundred dollars lying around to purchase a new tree & go all out with decor. So I decided this will do for now and after Christmas I will buy things when they go on sale (or whatever's left at the base exchange). I made our little tree as beautiful as I could. I was happily content with our small quaint Christmas.

Then one day I received a rather large package in the mail. Confused and excited I opened it to find a surprise that made me tear up a little. I had a conversation with my mother a few weeks prior about Christmas and what I planned to do. My grandmother and her decided to go in together and purchase a Christmas tree for us. This meant so much to me! I love surprises and this one is definetly at the top of one of the best. When I called to thank them for their generous and thoughtful gift they asked me not tell Aaron while he's away. Their hopes were for me to decorate & let him enjoy the surprise too. I can't wait for him to come home tonight and see what my family has done for us. I know he's going to love it too. I love them so much for this. It's really going to make our Christmas a little merrier. Thanks Gran & Mom!

(oh yeah, the side without ornaments is facing the wall...I still didn't have enough to cover the whole thing!ha!)

What do you think?

2009-12-23T10:49:00.001+10:00

Last week I had an appointment to have my hair trimmed & colored. I thought I had explained well enough what I had wanted. I had the itch to do something a little different. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but I thought it turned out o.k. I've never had my hair this dark;and it's growing on me. I know it sounds silly, but I am confused how to 'identify' myself! Am I a blonde? Brunette? In the sunlight you can see red? What am I now?! I did this while Aaron's gone. I'm anxious to hear what he thinks about his 'new' wife? I guess in my heart, I will always be blonde. Maybe I'm not as good with change as I once thought.

So, what do you think?

Then:

Now:

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-23T10:11:00.000+10:00

So here we are celebrating our first Thanksgiving in Guam with the Greenwoods. It really was a lovely dinner. Plenty of delicious food and desserts. It was very special to be together as family so far away from all our loved ones back in the states. We made a Thanksgiving Box for Family Home Evening a few weeks before and then at dinner we opened it up and read what everyone said they were thankful for. It was a fun activity to do for Thanksgiving. Of course after stuffing ourselves the appropriate thing to do was lounge on the couch. Another special Thanksgiving Dinner.

Welcome to Guam!!

2009-11-25T11:09:00.000+10:00

Last week, I took the opportunity to take an orientation class about our new home. The first day was a classroom setting. We learned various things about Guam, military life on Guam, some history & the culture of the Chamorros. I'm very happy I took the time to do this. I learned alot & became more comfortable with our new life here. The second day was an island tour. We drove around most of the island (and yes it did take all day, even though it's only 30 miles long). The bus made several stops along the way so we could take pictures and visit sites. It was incredibly breathtaking & I couldn't believe that I actually live here, not just vacationing. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them

Make a Smilebox photobook

Chamorro Village

2009-11-14T17:13:00.000+10:00

Every Wednesday night at Chamorro Village there are fiestas (i think that's what they call them). It's set up like a marketplace with different shops full of clothing, home decor, jewelry, and other island stuff. Food vendors are out selling some delicious bbq, desserts, & other foods. This is where we got our meat sticks...

Our Meat Stick...Sticky & Sweet!!

Aaron enjoying his coconut milk straight from the coconut

Mary & some of the kids (it's great having family here)

Aaron & his cousin Than chillin' at Chamorro Village.

Farrah tasting the meat from the coconut. Her face explains it all! (It cracked me up)

Ahhhhh...Enjoying a refreshing frozen pineapple & strawberry drink. (very hot & sweaty that night)

Also, we recently celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary on November 4th. It's hard to believe 3 years already flew by. Actually, the night we went to Chamarro Village was our Anniversary. We loved being able to do something different we haven't before, tasting the local food, seeing the local entertainment, visiting local shops. I knew marrying Aaron would lead me to new adventures I would have otherwise never done. I never imagined moving out of the country, but I am so grateful to be on this ride with him. I feel pretty dang lucky! (and of course a million times blessed!).

Talisay Branch

2009-11-02T09:48:00.004+10:00

I have never seen a church building like ours before. So I wanted to post pictures because I love how unique it is. We have 3 branches on the island and our building is the only one built this way. The picture below is our chapel (attached directly behind is the gymnasium). I love hearing the rain on the tin roof during sacrament. (It rains often on Guam)

The next two pictures are of the baptismal font.

Yup, it is outside. I think it's pretty cool.

I know this isn't a very good picture, but it's of the classrooms. Everything is outside connect by breezeways.

Here is another picture of the front of the building. If you can't tell this is directly off the side of the chapel, more classrooms & offices.

Notice the beautiful sunset sky in the background? There is always a breathtaking sunset on Guam. It is my favorite part of the day. Usually, great big fluffy clouds are in the sky, shades of pinks, blues, oranges & yellows dazzle around. I will try to capture a picture of what I'm trying to describe, but it's obvious I'm no professional photographer. It's absolutely amazing though, take my word for it.

Halloween Festivities

2009-11-02T09:23:00.002+10:00

The spooky dessert I made when we carved our pumpkins. Ghosts in the Graveyard.

Ooh, scary I know.

At our branch's Trunk or Treat, the youth put a little game of Fear Factor on for adults & kids.

We had to suck baby food out of these cups...

With a tiny straw, which made it hard to get everything in one shot...

I believe I heard the flavor was Roast Beef & Vegetables

It was NOT good, but at least my team WON!!

Then we had to fill a bowl up with dog food that had gross earthworms crawling around in it, using a spoon! (kidding, no earthworms were in there)

To end the activities, we finally had the Trunk-or-Treat. It was a really fun night. We started off by having a chili dinner with the Branch, a costume contest, a cake walk, and so on. I have never been in a branch before, but I am excited about this new experience. There are alot of military families (which of course means constant transition) and several local families too. The Talisay Branch has a wonderful family spirit that is comforting to be around. We are happy to be apart of them & grateful we are able to have family in the branch as well. I hope everyone else had a great Halloween night!!

The Curse of the Egyptian Tomb & More!

2009-10-30T16:06:00.001+10:00

Last week we went to a Murder Mystery Dinner, The Curse of the Egyptian Tomb. It was alot fun and my first one. We really enjoyed it and the best part was watching Than & Mary participate in their roles of the play. The lady who put the dinner on did a fantastic job with all of her props!

I also included some pics of us carving pumpkins. Happy Halloween Everybody!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Guam so far...

2009-10-30T15:10:00.004+10:00

Sorry I don't have more pictures of Guam. But hey, I've got 3 years here to take plenty of pics. I've just been trying to get settled and so we haven't made it a priority quite yet to venture out around the island. There's a lot of little things with moving, especially overseas. I also think I needed the last 3 weeks to be low key so that I could allow my sanity to return. ( Sadly, Aaron can vouch I haven't been myself lately). These few pictures here are from San Luis Beach on Naval Base Guam. Our family took us out snorkeling this day (I believe we had only been here 3 days at this point). The water is as clear as it looks. I was able to see some fish around the reef we were at. The water here is shallow several feet out because of the reef, & then it drops to deep water. I do plan on getting Scuba certified which I'm a little nervous about, but I don't want that to hold me back from doing it.

Local Cuisine

Pictured here is a local favorite, Red Rice. You can find it at almost any restaurant here (I've heard it's a long process, so I doubt I'll be giving this a whirl in the kitchen). Simply, it's white rice cooked in water that has been soaked with Achote seeds. I'm not sure how exactly it's done, but I believe it's somewhat labor intensive. These seeds turn the rice red (obviously) and makes it absolutely delicious! I really enjoyed my meal. We were out to dinner at Jamacain Grill. How Jamacain food ended all the way over here? I have no idea. Yummy, nonetheless! (Not to confuse anyone, everything on my plate is Jamacain, just not the red rice).

It's been way too long

2009-10-22T21:31:00.003+10:00

But I've got really good excuses (like 50 of them!). We finally made our move to Guam and things are starting to fall back into place. It's been one heck of a ride getting out here. I only need a little more time to catch my breath, relax, and get back to normal myself (I'm sure I was pretty close to a nervous breakdown at one point!!) I will def post a more detailed blog soon including lots of pictures too! I've missed all of you guys & can't wait to get back into blogging!

XOXO,
Britney

2009-08-01T05:08:00.004+10:00

My sweet friend has turned me on to ZUMBA! I went a couple of months ago to a big Zumba festival at the oceanfront & we all danced our little hearts out. I was hooked. It is such a fun aerobic exercise, I highly recommend it. By no means am I a fabulous dancer, but that doesn't even matter. It's about having a fun energetic workout, helping to break up the monotony of the treadmill or elliptical. My friend has worked hard to become certified as a Zumba instructor and her first class was a couple of nights ago! She was wonderful & I know things will only get better for her. Congratulations to her! (We just finished the workout when we took the picture, so please excuse the glistening sweat. Also, please excuse my paleness next to her gorgeous tan skin!)

Update

2009-07-28T00:37:00.007+10:00

I figured I should post a quick update on the status of our move. I could go into a really l-o-n-g story about how things have been playing out, but like I said it's really l-o-n-g. So I'm gonna sum it up best I can. After the Navy decided they were going to change a few things in our orders, we finally received the correct revised orders about 2 1/2 weeks ago. We had already notified our apartment managers that we were expected to leave the area at the end of July. Once the new orders came through we saw that we needed to actually extend our lease through August. Well...(not to my surprise) they informed us they have already rented it out to a guy who will move in 15th of Aug. No worries, we scrambled around making quick plans to adjust to this new curve ball thrown at us. We were able to schedule the movers on short notice, decided I had to move down to Alabama 3 weeks early while Aaron finishes up work here, and now I'm in the process of going through our things & preparing for the movers to come next week! I'm excited about being back home to spend time with my family & friends down there before taking off half way across the world. I'm also sad to be leaving all the wonderful friends we have made here. It just doesn't seem real...this has been our home since Aaron & I got married. We have alot of sweet memories here. Virginia Beach will always have a special part of my heart. I feel like I've been in a whirlwind lately with all these little things on my mind. I know everything works out they way it's supposed to, I just can't believe we're already here at this moment. It really did come quick. So we're on to new things now, can't wait! ( I posted a picture of the island we are going to be living on)

And the Award Goes To....

2009-07-28T00:16:00.007+10:00

A few weeks ago I hosted a get-together with some special friends. At our apartment complex they have a theater room you can rent. I decided to take advantage of this so we could all spend some time together. We brought yummy snacks, we even had our own "Non-alcoholic" bartender to whip us up some frozen "mock-tails" (thanks Tiffany!), and enjoyed watching Hairspray (I had never seen it before, fun movie!). I know I enjoyed myself hanging out with the girls. The night was a success!! We found this little golden statue & decided we all needed to pose our "movie-star" winning looks to remember the fabulous night! We all had a lot of fun being goofy & hangin' out with each other! Thanks Ladies!

4th of July

2009-07-06T23:42:00.004+10:00

Every year the park down the street from us puts on a huge fireworks display for the community. Aaron & I didn't have much planned this year except walking over to the park to enjoy the celebration. We grabbed ourselves a couple of root beers from Sonic, layed out our blanket & waited for the night sky to light up! This show draws thousands of people from all around (the park was packed full!). I got chills when we all stood up and crossed our hearts as the national anthem began. My parents instilled in us kids to have great pride & great respect for our military. Now, it's a little different for me. Like so many of my friends here, the men we love serve this great nation. Alot of our husbands have been off to fight the war in Iraq or have deployed for long periods of time. There are alot of emotions that come with this knowledge that your spouse may have to leave, but humbling is the best word I can use to sum up my thoughts. Aaron served in Iraq before we met, I honestly don't know how I would deal with it if he had to leave today. I'm very proud of my husband and the person he is. I hold the utmost respect for the military. Here are a few pics of the night....

Paint Balling

2009-07-03T12:25:00.005+10:00

Last weekend, several families went camping. We all had alot of fun with each other sitting around the fire (and sadly I didn't take any pictures of the actual camping), of course makin' smores, enjoying the company, & paint balling. The men went off first to play, it was so cute seeing them get dressed up in camo (and my hubs supplied alot of gear, since our closet is packed full of military ANYTHING!).

Aaron is fillin' up on ammunition before the game begins

And here they are about to go off to "war"

This time Gladys & I join the fight (I'm trying to be intimidating, don't think it worked)

I broke down & gave a hint of a smile

This was Gladys & my first time paintballing. It was hot & sticky. I was worried about getting shot because I've seen the bruises those little things leave behind...not pretty. But of course I got shot (I'm not a very good strategist) a few times & one of them hit my face mask so I got to taste it too (pretty gross!). I was shot once on each cheek (& not the ones you smile with either), once on the inside just above my ankle, & then one shot on the back of my arm. I wasn't prepared for the stinging & it took me by surprise how bad it would hurt. We all had fun though. I'm ready for round 2!

Life Lately

2009-07-03T11:41:00.007+10:00

We kept cool this hot & humid day by grillin' out beside the pool with our good friends Connie & Ben with their 2 cute kids.

Just a few pics of everyone diggin' into good 'ol burgers

Catching Ben mid sentence

Aaron hanging with the kiddos

Ben & Connie being well...Ben & Connie (we love these guys, lots of fun times)

Me & the hubs relaxing on a hot summer day

Besides the sometimes unbearable humidty, summer is my favorite. I love everything I feel during the season. I love that the sun will set some days as late as 8:30, I love cooking out on the grill. I love drinking lemonade, eating watermelon, laying out by the pool, playing in the water, I love getting together with friends and making memories. I love listening to Otis Redding during the summer. His songs make me want to sit on the front porch, sip an ice cold drink, & rock out to good soul music. Yup, I think this would sum up my perfect summer day. I feel like I need let out a big long 'ahhhhhhhh....' of pure satisfaction.

People Watchers

2009-06-12T12:31:00.003+10:00

Here is where Elvis & Max sit and people watch. Sometimes they bark & growl, good thing too, can you imagine the damage they could do?? Horrific, I can't even think about it. These 2 definetly have "big dog syndrome." Very big attitudes, very big personalities into their tiny bodies. I think Max is telling me "Can we help you? We are kinda busy at the moment." I love these guys, they crack me up!

HMMM...??

2009-06-12T12:01:00.006+10:00

What could this little dog possibly be thinking?

"Hey Lady, why must you take pictures of me?"

"I'm on top of the WORLD!!"

"He only thinks he's top dog...BAWHAHA!"

"I must guard my people when they sleep"

Who knows?!? Sometimes I wish did. I get pretty funny looks, most of them seem to say, "you're a little weird" or "you know you want to rub my belly." Oh my, these dogs keep me entertained!!!!

It's Official...We're Moving!!

2009-05-19T04:02:00.011+10:00

Our orders have FINALLLY arrived and we'll be setting sail on a new adventure to Guam!

'Where the heck is Guam' you might ask, we'll it's over in the south pacific close to the Philipines. Guam is about a 6 hour flight west of Hawaii, approx. 4 hours to Japan and a hop, skip & jump to other places like Thailand, Australia, New Zealand. Let's just say it's far far away from Sweet Home Alabama! We've known for some time that Guam was a possibilty which is how I've been able to let it sink in. We will be stationed there for 2 years and we are so lucky because Aaron already has family stationed in Guam. They have 2 years left with orders as well. I definetely have felt more at ease knowing there will already be familiar faces on the island (which is about 26 miles long!!!!). Through my research it seems Guam offers alot of outdoor activities. It is a hot spot for some beautiful diving, hiking, and waterfalls! It's a mixed culture with several influences like Filipino, Spanish, Micronesian. One thing I keep coming across is how good (& fattening) the food is! Which means I'll be hitting the gym frequently since I plan on living in a swimsuit year round, if it's as hot & humid as I think. I'm nervous & excited about this entirely new world we are about to step into! Then again...when am I ever going to get an opportunity like this?! Aaron & I are both under the impression it's what you make of the experience. We are planning to take as much advantage as we can!

All I could do was laugh

2009-05-03T10:54:00.010+10:00

Earlier this week I washed my car. I kept telling myself how badly it needed my attention on the outside & in. The pollen was awful around here a few weeks ago, so I had to hold off. I didn't want all my hard work to go to waste with an annoying thin layer of yellow powder. Man, I worked hard on the car. It was hot outside, I inevitably soaked myself (those pressure washers can be alot to handle!ha!), but I had determination. I envisioned my husband coming home & admiring the glistening sparkling in the sunshine clean. It was beautiful. That entire day whenever I stepped outside I kept peaking over at my car. I was proud of myself & just relished in the cleanliness. Later that evening I had to make a quick errand. I was excited to ride in the car that I worked hard on. Wouldn't you know all that would come to end so soon? On my way home, a big fat bug SPLATTED right on the windshield!!! The bug was big & his guts were all over the glass! The only thing I could do....was laugh. Isn't that how it goes sometimes? As soon as you mop, a nasty red spill, right after vaccuuming dogs trail in dirt. Even though my moment was short lived & a bug named "Reality" hit my windshield I just had to laugh. There's nothing I could do about it & that's ok. That's life. It happens to us all. What's your moment when all you could do was laugh?

Easter Sunday

2009-04-13T23:32:00.004+10:00

I hope everyone enjoyed celebrating Easter Sunday with their families yesterday. Aaron surprised me with an Easter basket full of chocolate (with my fav dark chocolate too!), jelly beans in a cute flip flop container (he said was 'so me' when he saw it) & a little bunny rabbit. I asked him if he was the type of person who liked Peeps since there was a package of neon pink chicks in my basket as well. He said "NO" but that you gotta have Peeps to make it feel like Easter! I'm not partial to them either, but those ridiculous pink marshmellows do bring a sense of Easter fun!!

We had a nice sacrament meeting focusing on the Atonement. What really prepared me for yesterday though was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk from General Conference. He taught me about the Atonement in ways I never could have learned on my own study time. It brought tears to my eyes and touched my soul. If you didn't get a chance to see it, I would suggest watching him speak rather than reading it. I am excited to receive May's issue of the Ensign & reading through the talk.
Anyways, we enjoyed Easter here in a low key kinda way. Earlier in the week, I contemplated for about 3 minutes on whether or not I should attempt an Easter feast. I quickly put that thought way once I realized it meant I'd have to go back to the grocery store, since I had no "Easter food." So instead Aaron enjoyed a stack of pancakes with PB & syrup; I had a chicken & cheese quesodilla. We were happy & content. Maybe next year I'll make Easter dinner.

Bargain Buys

2009-04-13T23:12:00.008+10:00

Yes I am a bargain shopper. I love finding good deals on things. It makes me happy & it's kinda exciting purchasing something I really want or need for a sweet little price. Here are my latest finds:

I have yet to frame our pictures from when we married. I was looking for something particular.

I wanted beautiful ornate frames. All that I looked at were anywhere between 15-30 dollars. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Until I found these for $6.99 each at the Kirkland Outlet Store this weekend!! I was thrilled I found them. This is what I had in mind!

The picture quality isn't that great on here. I don't know where I am going to display them yet, but for now they will sit on the shelf I haven't decorated yet. One step at time for me!!

CON ARTIST.

2009-03-18T22:56:00.006+10:00

Looks innocent doesn't he? Don't be fooled. Last night after I got home from work my husband & I were sitting on the couch talking. Our 2 four-legged children were wrestling & such, mostly over a bone both wanted. Naturally, the big dog should win, right?! Well Elvis is somewhat of a push over & let Max have it (or so we thought). Elvs disappears & suddenly we hear a squeaker toy in the back bedroom being squeaked rapidly. Max stops knawing on the bone & looks up. "A toy? I wanna play" he seems to think. I told Max 'no' that it was a mean trick, Elvis only wanted to lure him away so the bone would be left free to steal. But you just can't talk sense into a dog when his attention is completely fixated on something else. Max jumps off the couch searching for the toy & within seconds Elvis hops back onto the couch. He takes the bone & hasn't an ounce of remorse, a smidge of compassion, or a bit of regret. Elvis is happy. He tricked a puppy & got away with it. And there are 2 human witnesses that can attest to this scheme. We couldn't believe it. Elvis had planned this all out & it worked! We laughed the rest of the night & I know this will be a story we'll laugh about for a long time. That dog sure is smart. I'm still in shock he knew all the right steps to take. How do you think he knew to do that? (Even though he's guilty, we still love him)

Our Weekend

2009-03-10T05:06:00.004+10:00

This weekend was a great one! Saturday we took the puppies to the beach & let them chase each other. They loved it! Max got close to the ocean & of course it scared him-he's such a scaredy cat, although he wants you to believe otherwise. Elvis just loved running & running & running to wherever his little feet could take him. I love when you can see how happy they are! It shows in their faces how free they feel!
The beach was alot of fun & I decided I definetely need to take more advantage living so close to the water. (Side note for my Bama friends-the beach is so diff from Fl beaches, not the clear water & white sands, which is why I haven't felt like I was missing out). However, it's still relaxing & it's still a beach! So I promise to soak up some sun by the seaside this summer! Then Saturday night we celebrated a friend's birthday playing games & eating yummy snacks. Yesterday was 3:00pm church (which is not that fun) but we did get home while it's light outside!! Thank heaven for daylight savings time!! I love this time of year...you don't need AC or heat, i keep the windows open & enjoy the breezy weather. Can't wait for the beautiful spring weather & flowers everywhere! Weekends like these are about close to perfect! Happy Spring to Everyone! *Here is some cuteness for ya'll to enjoy*

Bowling + Dancing = Good Times

2009-02-28T04:31:00.006+10:00

I found these 2 vidoes on our computer & forgot all about this!! Aaron & I were still dating; we had gone bowling with my older brother & decided to "spice" up our bowling game. You had to dance to the song while bowling. I wish I had a video of Aaron, but if my memory serves me right "there wasn't any good songs on" when he was supposed to bowl. Hmmmm, I think he was too intimated by us or was this footage taken to embarrass me later in life??? Oh well, ENJOY!

Just Work It Out

2009-02-20T23:21:00.004+10:00

A few months ago I told Aaron for my anniversary/christmas/birthday gift (b/c they all fall back to back) I wanted a personal trainer. I wanted to get my body into shape & be confident with myself & lose a few pounds. I knew it would be expensive to have a trainer, but that's what I wanted. Luckily enough I was able to find out that the gym on base has FREE TRAINERS!! WOOT WOOT!! So I got myself one & have been working with him once a week for about 3 months. Once a month I get a fitness assestment done to see my progress. So Wednesday was the "big" day & I must say I'm very proud of myself thus far...Originally, my goal was to loose 10 lbs by January, but I didn't reach it. Don't worry I did not get down about it, in fact the opposite has happened. I am happy, proud, I feel great, lots of energy, my butt/hips are shrinking : ) & I feel fit overall!! My assestment says I now weigh in at 121 lbs, which is 5 lbs less than when I first started. My graph says I am in the "ideal" category for weight & bicep strength is now "FIT" (I get excited just thinking about this). Each month has shown slow progress, but progress nonetheless & when I see a lower weight than before & body fat % down, I celebrate a small victory inside!! It's been hard work and I didn't want to work out 5 days a week sometimes, but I was consistent & it's paying off. There have been some days where I can't move I'm that sore...but to me all of this is completely worth it & a good feeling.
I didn't do any drastic changes to my diet, I was more aware of the amount of food I would eat, what I ate & stopped eating when I was full. Because believe me I like food way too much to give up something for good. So yah, I love the warm bread they serve a Macaroni Grill with olive oil, Homemade Choc. Chip Cookies are prob my biggest weakness, I always love a good pizza, & it doesn't help when your husband's favorite dessert is cheesecake. Those are just to name a few...my point is I never believed a strict diet could work for me. I'd get to feel so restricted that I know eventually I'd cave & it would be bad :) My trainer had me count calories for about a week (which I tried to do) only so I could visibly see how much a cup a cereal looks like, or 1/4 cup of tuna, or what a turkey sandwich looks like with a little bit of mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, & 1 slice of cheese. For me, I was surprised at how much a cup of cereal was b/c it turned out to be too much, along with 1/4c tuna, & other things I might eat. It was a good lesson & something I keep in the back of my mind whenever I eat. How much I can eat versus what I actually put on my plate. Sometimes I measure things to keep my memory fresh. Food is supposed to be enjoyable, not the enemy or a drag! I do have a breakfast that I make often that keeps me full...I pour maybe a 1/2 c of kashi go lean cruch cereal, a couple of scoops of lowfat yogurt, with blueberries/sliced strawberries or any berry fruit you like. It's healthy, has alot of protein & fiber, & is light yet filling.
Healthy living is something I've always tried to do. Growing up my brothers would playfully tease me that I'd always drink water instead of a coke. I always took an exercise class in high school & liked jogging a couple of miles at the park. I'm sure everyone can agree it feels great to take care of yourself. I feel confident, like the way my body is looking, and love doing this for me!!! Plus, I want to be in shape for when we do become pregnant. I'm sure pregnancy is gonna take a toll on my body, so I gotta be ready for it : ) yah...i got the fever, haha!
So if anyone reads this and decides to make changes or wants to be healthier, I'll be your cheerleader! I'd love to root you on : )

P.S.- I am southern so I will always love a cold glass of coke (or Dr. P). In fact, I got a 2 liter in the frig right now!

Declockly

2009-02-20T08:36:00.003+10:00

What's You Name??

I tag EVERYONE who reads this!!

1. YOUR REAL NAME: Britney Christensen

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle): Briizzle

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal): Blue Puppy

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number): Danielle Banyan Grove

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name): ChrBr (huh?)

6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, and favorite drink): Green Coke

7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, and last letter of your moms first name). Rrcueby

8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names): Lea Brent

9 . YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets): Black Elvis

10 . YOUR HOOD NAME:....first 3 of your first name and add -iqua....: Briiqua

11. What will you repost this as? (1st letter of middle name; last letter of siblings first name, first letter of your last name, and add lockly) Declockly

My Golden Birthday

2009-01-25T01:25:00.004+10:00

Yesterday was my golden birthday!! I turned 23 on the 23rd. It was a quiet day. I didn't have to work, so I bummed around the house to get some "light cleaning" done & then I went to the gym to get a good workout in. After coming home from the gym, we got ready to go out to dinner. I chose PF Chang's, which never fails! Aaron & I went with our dear friends Connie & Ben. They were celebrating a 5 year wedding anniversary. We thought it would be fun to celebrate together, since we get along well. I had so much fun yesterday evening! Ben & Aaron each had a bouquet of flowers waiting for us at our table. I can't believe I'm already 23, when did that happen?!? I'm so grateful for all things I am blessed with. I have a loving husband and alot of good friends. How did I get to be such a lucky girl? I think this will be a good year for me. After all it is "Golden"

Just One of Those Days...

2009-01-13T06:26:00.003+10:00

Aaron had taken the dogs over to a family's home. They too had a dog & I think Elvis & Max were pretty exhausted from playing. When he came back to our house, Max just stayed in his crate & Elvis crawled into his. They didn't move an inch. I think this means they had a good time.

Suggestions??

2009-01-10T21:58:00.005+10:00

I bought this shelf to use over my couch. However, I came home & this shelf is too small for the scale of the wall the sofa is up against. Then I decided to mount it in our dining area. I don't know what to decorate with!!! I feel like I should have something on each side (where the additional wall space is) to anchor it, but I can't come up with anything I like. Plus, I don't know what to place/rest on top of the shelf either. So I'm asking you for your suggestions. What do you think will look really good?

Our apartment is sparsley decorated 1. Because it's an apt. & since it's not permanant I don't want to invest in alot of decor just yet (but wait, being a military spouse, anywhere i go isn't permanant....oh well) and 2. I'm kinda picky. I want to absolutely L-O-V-E something before I put it on my wall or out for everyone to see. I like original unique things. I also would like for our home to have a warm & cozy feeling. After all, "There's no place like home."

I'd like to Introduce....

2009-01-10T00:07:00.009+10:00

MAX! A week ago, Aaron came home to surprise me & Elvis. He wanted to cheer us up since I lost my little shadow & Elvis didn't have a playmate anymore. Max is a Blue & Tan Dapple Miniature Dachshund. He looks like he's been splattered with paint. I love his markings, they make him so unique. Elvis has enjoyed having someone to wrestle with, and Max isn't afraid to back down either. I've tried to get a few cute shots, but he doesn't stay still for long unless he's asleep. It's fun getting to know his personality. He's so cute he'll bark at me when he needs my attention & likes to play his with teddy bear. Here's a cute video of Max using the couch as refuge as him & Elvis play together.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-03T05:53:00.004+10:00

I can't believe another Christmas has passed. We had a nice one in Alabama visiting my family & seeing good friends. It was a long drive there & back, but fortunately it went quickly. The both of us received gifts, but the best part was spending time with those we don't see often. I think Aaron got quite the taste of my extended family. On one side we are loud & laugh alot. On the other side low key, but still just as much love to go around. I really appreciate them & their love for us. Here are a few pictures to enjoy. I can't believe how big my little sister & brothers are getting. Everyone is growing up so fast & it's these special moments that mean more to me the older I get.

Sadie Bug

2009-01-01T13:16:00.006+10:00

Our Christmas was spent in Alabama this year with my side of the family. We had a nice Christmas & I will post about that later once I upload pictures. Unfortunately we had a sad ending. This past Sunday Aaron & I had to put Sadie down. She wasn't acting herself & we could tell something was terribly wrong. At first we thought she ate something to make her feel bad. Then we thought maybe she was car sick from traveling all day on Saturday. Sunday morning we saw no improvements & as the day went on she was in more pain. That afternoon Aaron was checking her again & he saw 3 big spots of blood underneath her skin on her belly. We took her to the ER vet. Aaron spent several hours there with our little girl & finally they got around to her. Bloodwork came back & it showed she had poison in her blood stream. We called my parents & there was rat poison behind their frig. We had no idea she had eaten some, but Aaron said he recalled her sniffing back there & eating something (which we assumed was crumbs) throughout our visit. When he took her to the vet deep down I knew she prob wouldn't return, but I was praying for the best. We couldn't afford all the medical care she would need & still there was no guarantee Sadie would live. We decided the best thing was to put her down so she wouldn't suffer anymore. The poison had eaten 3 holes thru her intestinal wall, causing the internal bleeding. Aaron came home late that night & my heart sank. He told me the nurses fell in love with my little Sadie Bug & asked him to read over some information. It was a waiver to sign all of our rights over Sadie to the hospital. If we were to do that, they would proceed with the blood transfusions & any surgery needed. If Sadie made it, they would find a family that would adopt her. I called the hospital once & they told us they couldn't give any information since we signed over rights. It broke my heart. I cried for 2 days & I still choke up talking about it. So we actually don't know if she lived, but our feeling is that she didn't make it. Sadie had been eating on it all week & she had to have had alot in her system. It seemed too severe & too late for her to survive. But then I struggle with "What if she did?" If she did, she didn't come home to us, her "pack" as we would say. I loved that little dog, she was my shadow. Sadie always had to be where I was & she would get so excited to see me. I know she'll make a good dog for someone else, but she'll always be mine. The hard part for me is to see her face & her sad eyes that last day. She was in alot of pain & those images are burned into my mind. I'm just trying to have faith that Heavenly Father did the best thing for her. Whether it was passing away or if another family needed her more. We miss her sweetness in our home. She made us laugh many times & was a great playmate for Elvis. I think the movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven" is true, I always have believed it since I was little. I love Sadie alot & she'll always have a soft spot in my heart. I'm so grateful for Aaron. He's been so senstive & understanding this week. We've been able to spend alot of time together & he's helped take my mind off it. He was sad too, but I always told him if anything happened to either of our dogs I'd be heartbroken. I'm really lucky to have this sweet guy.

Thanksgiving & Christmas Party

2008-12-11T06:30:00.006+10:00

WOWZA! It has been a long time since the last post. I've thought about getting on here several times, but then realized I don't have any fun pictures to document with & was just plain lazy. Now I have oodles & oodles of pics for everyone to see! Lucky me...the hubby came home earlier than expected & we got to spend Thanksgiving together!! It only gets better, my younger sister & my crazy cousin (whom I love dearly) had already made plans to visit for the holiday! I was able to spend Thanksgiving with some of the people I love most! They stayed for a week. I took them to the Naval Base to see "Ships" by they seemed to be more interested in "BOYS". Then we galavanted to Colonial Williamsburg, drove on the boardwalk down at the Oceanfront for the holiday lights, played lots of MarioKart on Nintendo DS, and made a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner. It was the first for all of us...nothing burned & we all fell into food comas shortly thereafter. PURE BLISS!!! My family hasn't visited me up here, so it was such a blessing to have them. I loved seeing them, I loved spending the holiday with them & my sweet hubby. It was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our Second Wedding Anniversary

2008-11-05T00:49:00.004+10:00

I cannot believe it has been 2 years since Aaron & I said "I do." I think most people know our story, but I'm going to recap. During the Summer of 2006 Aaron was at Naval Dive School in Panama City Florida. My Aunt & Uncle were living in PC, so I decided to visit them one weekend. It was out of the blue that I had gotten the urge to visit. Two weeks prior to my visit I had seen them at my grandparents house & they offered anyone to come stay with them. Anyways, the weekend came I planned to visit. I had no intentions of meeting someone, it was seriously the LAST thing on my mind. We had decided to go on out on the ocean with their boat with my aunt's brother & his wife. I'm not sure who, but someone got the idea to set me up, so that I didn't have to be the third wheel :) One phone call led to another and then Aaron Christensen showed up at the docks the next day ready for this blind day date!! Yes, we were set up on a blind date & we did not hit it off. I was very quiet and Aaron could hardly get a word out of me. But in my defense I was with my family on a date...I think that would cause anyone feel awkward! Later that night he came over to dinner. Again, kinda the same scenario as the boat date. Before giving up on me, he asked if I'd like to go for ice cream after dinner. To his surprise I agreed! We got into his jeep on our way to Cold Stone & I have chatted his little ear off ever since :) We FINALLY hit it off and by our second date (a week later) I had the distinct impression that I would marry this guy. I knew it was the spirit speaking to me & my life has been blessed ever since. That entire summer we both were making trips back & forth from AL to FL. On the phone 3-4 hrs every night we were apart. By August, Aaron asked me to marry him. In September he graduated dive school & moved to Virginia Beach. We planned to wed on November 4. A whirlwind romance, I do agree with everyone on that. Looking back I can't believe how quickly things went, but I knew the entire time this is who I am to marry. It's been a magic adventure ever since that warm summer night we went out for ice cream. I love Aaron & I am so sad he can't be here with me today to celebrate our 2nd Anniversary. My Heavenly Father has blessed me with a caring husband. Aaron is my best friend & I love being with him. I am also proud we decided to be sealed as husband & wife in the Manti temple. Happy Anniversary Aaron! I love you forever!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Washington DC & Pumpkin Carving

2008-11-03T09:46:00.005+10:00

I know it has been quite some time since my last blog, but we have been busy with the Youth temple trip to DC, my new job (YAY!!), spending time together since the hubs had to leave again, spending time with great friends who are moving soon, finding a reliable vehicle for our family, and many discussions about a possible move.....whew! There seems to be alot more, but I don't want to go on too much. Earlier in October we went to DC for a temple trip, as well as some historic sightseeing!! Since both of our callings are with the Youth we were able to participate! The temple was a wonderful experience & it was unbelievable to me that I was there as a chaperone!!!! It wasn't too long ago I was the youth, my how time flies! I felt the trip was a success & it was exciting to be in DC to visit the monuments.

We also spent Family Home Evening with our dear friends the Andersons. The activity...carving pumpkins for Halloween!!! It was so much fun and they have the sweetest children. Unfortunately, they are moving in a couple of weeks. We are so sad to see them go!! Here are some fun pictures we took!!

My Quirky Quirks

2008-10-09T02:57:00.005+10:00

My lovely friend Mallorie tagged me to name 6 quirks about myself. I tag Norma, Jessica, Julianne, Emily, Nikkii & anyone else who'd like too : )

1. I cannot stand stepping out of the shower straight onto the bare floor!! It grosses me out, there has to be a rug to step onto.

2. Speaking of showers, the shower curtain & liner has to be touching each side of the tub wall. I hate it when cold air escapes into my nice warm shower. (Aaron can vouch for that...oops! is that too much info, haha!)

3. I do not like going to the gym on base by myself. All those macho military men scare me...i'm a whimp.

4. I always have to put lip balm before I go to bed.

5. I never usually pick favorites of things: colors, foods, music, etc. My mind is always changing & so it's just easier that way. They're things i love....but I prob wouldn't say it's my absolute favorite.

6. Usually, when we start movies after 9pm I can't stay awake. I'm used to my husband's schedule which is early to bed & early to rise.

Aren't peoples' quirks funny?!? I can't wait to read everyone elses. Mal, I loved yours!

October 1st

2008-10-02T00:34:00.004+10:00

I love this time of the year. October is so exciting for me because I know that I will be celebrating a Holiday each month!! I love autumn....everything about it. There are so many things to look forward to. General Conference, Soups/Stews, Pumpkin Bread, Seasonal Candles (i just bought a Martha Stewart Caramel Cake candle-yummy!), the cool fall air, Costumes, decorations, family visits, warm sweaters & jackets, hot chocolate, the changing leaves...i can go on. I never could decide if Spring or Fall was my favorite, but I think after all I love fall most. Sadly, the hubby won't be around to relish in my simple pleasures (i tend to bake/cook more often in the fall). And i probably shouldn't bake since I'll be the only one around to eat it. I don't have much decorations & right now i' rather not spend alot for them, so i'll probably hit Big Lots to see what's over there. Happy Halloween Everyone!

My Sadie Bug

2008-09-10T23:10:00.004+10:00

The other day I went over to my friend's house to watch her kids while she got some much needed rest to recover from an injury. I took both of my "children" with me! They love going to other people's homes & love playing with kids. Funny thing is Elvis & Sadie are used to sleeping whenever they want, but kids don't really allow that. We spent the entire day over there & by the time we came home that evening the doggies were EXHAUSTED! Aaron & I just kept laughing at how tired they acted. Anyways, I went to bed early that night with Elvis & Sadie right behind me. By the time Aaron came to bed this is what he saw & had to snap a picture of our drama queen, Sadie. The part I love the most is, Sadie was on Aaron's side of the bed!!! She's so human sometimes it's scary! We love our Sadie Bug, such a silly dog!

Smiles

2008-09-10T22:51:00.003+10:00

Last Friday I was having a challenging day. Aaron came home with this beautiful arrangement of flowers to surprise me and because "he hadn't done it in a while." He didn't know I was upset, but they sure put a smile on my face. It made me remember how much he loves me & that the simple things mean the most. I am grateful for his thoughtfulness & the small ways he expresses his love for me. The flowers look stunning & our bedroom is so fragrant with their aroma!

Waitin' On a Woman

2008-08-24T09:27:00.004+10:00

I like country music. I don't listen to it all that often, but lately i have. I am in love with a song called "Waitin' On a Woman" by Brad Paisley. Everything he sings about is show true and I can't wait to let Aaron hear it. So ok, i've been missing him alot the last 2 weeks which is why I've been listening to 'ole good country love songs. The video is so sweet, it brings back fond memories for me. Andy Griffith (from the Andy Griffith Show back in the day) is in it & I remember watching re-runs as a kid. I think anyone who watches this video can relate to it some way. It brought a big smile to my face; because I know I keep my patient husband waiting. Brad Paisley is a talented artist & sings these clever and beautiful songs. Enjoy & let your husband see the video, I think he'd appreciate it. (let me know what ya'll think)

Cascade Springs

2008-08-21T00:43:00.002+10:00

Aaron's Uncle Dan took us one afternoon to Cascade Springs right there in the Heber City Area of UT. I told my husband about our exploration outdoors & he asked if i would like living in the mountains. You see I'm a southern girl born &raised (yes i know i don't have a thick accent), and the beach has always been my love. Before ever visiting mountain's, you could have asked me that question & with no hesitation I would have spurted out "BEACH!!" Not that I don't love the beach, i always will, but there is something so serene & calming about being in the mountains as well. So yah, I guess I'd like living in the mountains. It would take a while to get used to the snow & cold, but there is so much outdoor activities you can do. I don't know, I'm truly torn! Maybe I won't make my mind up & just enjoy both!

Just for Fun

2008-08-21T00:34:00.002+10:00

We love to get Elvis to sing & howl! It cracks us up & we laugh everytime. I thought I'd post the video & hope you might giggle too : ) I was bored one afternoon & wanted to record our silly puppy howling. You kinda have to encourage him (you might here me), but once he gets goin' it's pretty loud & he'll just keep on. We love our sweet dogs, they always put a smile on my face!

Weddings

2008-08-21T00:13:00.005+10:00

Last Wednesday I flew out to Utah for my bro-in-law's wedding. I had a nice time in Utah with the weddings & visiting (meeting for the 1st time) Aaron's family. Sadly, Aaron is gone right now & wasn't able to make this special event. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple Aug 15! It was my first time being inside the SLC temple! It was absolutely gorgeous! Then the reception was at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. This trip I also met most of Aaron's extended family for the very first time, without him even there. I was nervous to begin with, and truthfully a little overwhelmed. There were times I didn't know what to do with myself, but obviously I got through it. Anyways, we are very happy for Michael & Lauren. We wish them all the best! Here's a picture of the newlywed's & then one with me & my father-in-law.

Youth Conference

2008-07-25T23:54:00.006+10:00

Last week I went to Youth Conference, I still have no idea where we were, up past Richmond somewhere (all i know is it took 3 hrs to get there). I think our Youth had a lot of fun!! We had 1 one YW and about 5 Ym come-we were small, but i felt we got to know each other well. Unfortunately, I had not charged the battery to my camera, so I was able to snap all of 3 pictures! Anyways, our first adventure was tubing down the James River. It was just like the lazy river rides at water parks, except MUCH slower & more shallow. Outta nowhere your booty would get smacked into rocks! I never checked, but I think I prob had a couple of bruises. We then drove to our campsite & set up our tents...and when I say campsite I mean a big open field with no shade. So it got scorchin' hot, but nobody hung around during the day-we were off caving & mountain repelling! We as YW leaders decided to Opt out of the caving & spent the day repelling. That by far is the CRAZIEST thing I've done!! Walking backwards down the side of a mountain...my dare devil husband would be so proud! I was extremely nervous & scared...shakey, sweaty palms, heart racing, BUT i'm glad i did it. Bishop Williams, his son Michael, & Rachel (YW pres) were all talking me through it. Then my feet just started moving & before I knew it I was hangin' off the side of the Blue Ridge Mtns!

It was a great Youth Conference & great bonding experience for everyone. I'm still having a hard time thinking of myself as the leader, but I feel extremely blessed being around these guys & serving them. The 3 pictures are of the Salem Ward making a quick pit stop at Krispy Kreme before heading off to Camp & then pictures of the Moutain & ME!

Touring the Truman

2008-07-25T23:24:00.006+10:00

Several Weeks ago Jeffrey Rockwood, a friend from church, took us on a tour of his ship the USS Truman!! It was so much fun, cramped, but fun to walk around the huge ship. I thought I would fall everytime we walked down the stairs. We saw where everyone slept, ate, worked, & even where the Captain drives that bad boy! It was all very impressive. We toured the deck, where the jets land and take off. I know it made me appreciate the protection & sacrifice those brave sailors give. Aaron has been in the Navy for 6 years now & never attached to a ship, so I think he really enjoyed learning all we did. Jeffrey was very informative & was so nice to do that for us.

Tides Game

2008-07-16T21:42:00.013+10:00

Aaron & I are excited about our new callings with the Young Men & Young Women! Last week, it was a combined activity & we took the Youth to the Norfolk Tides Baseball game! The weather was perfect...not too hot & a slight breeze! I think they enjoyed getting out for youth activity, I know we enjoyed the game & the company! The Tides were behind the entire game, 90% of everyone decided to leave, but a few us stayed until the end. Good thing too because THEY WON!! YEAH!! The game went into 11 innings, & the Tides pulled through the last second! It was so exciting to watch-all the others missed out : ( I'm so blessed to spend my time at church with these wonderful youth. It really was just a few years ago i was in their spot, but I hope that we become great friends. This calling has definetly made me appreciate my Youth Leaders, their sacrifice, committment, & love for me. These YW are beautiful & I love to be around them.
The pictures are of Aaron & Kendall....and then 2 of our YW! They're not the best pictures, but I was just taking snapshots!

Final Goodbyes

2008-07-15T04:26:00.004+10:00

These pictures are for Clark. Elvis & Sadie were distraught when you left. They sat by the door for 30-45 minutes & kinda kept to themselves the rest of the day (mostly Elvis...Sadie needs too much attention). It made me sad to see them so sad! We really enjoyed having you, but are thrilled the Elkins Clan is back together. Good Luck in Idaho & We miss you all! Keep in touch!!

Elvis & Clark

2008-07-15T04:13:00.004+10:00

A couple of weeks ago our friend Clark stayed with us in his transition from military to civilian life and before meeting up with his family in Idaho. Elvis never wanted to leave Clark's side! Rewind to the beginning of the year....before Clark left on his last deployement he hung out with Aaron & I, while his lovely family moved to Texas. So of course we thought Elvis probably wouldn't remember him, when he came to stay in June. Boy were we wrong! Elvis was estatic he was back & every single time Clark left, he would sit by the door & whine! Clark was his buddy & loved to be with him. I had to snap a picture & tempted to put one in Elvis's kennel....i'm teasin'! It made us laugh how Elvis really got attached to Clark.

Yummy Soup!

2008-07-10T04:34:00.002+10:00

Sunday I made Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup. It was perfect for after church. I have some mental block against soup during hot summer months, but this was WONDERFUL! You can cook it on the stove in about 15 min., but I prefer in the slow cooker (low for 6hrs).

1- 2 to 2 1/4 lb purchased roasted chicken
2- 14 oz cans chicken broth with roasted garlic
1- 15 oz can chopped tomatoes and green chile peppers, undrained
1- 11 oz can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, undrained
1- small fresh jalopeno chile pepper, seeded
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp lime juice
*I added a can of black beans to give it some extra flavor (drain the beans)

-Remove skin from chicken, Remove chicken from bone. Shred/Dice chicken up to 2 cups (or you can use all the meat)
-In large saucepan, combine broth, undrained tomatoes, corn, jalopeno, & cumin. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Simmer covered for 10 min. Stir in chicken, cilantro, & lime juice. Heat Through. Makes 6 servings
-For slowcooker, I just through everything in there & cooked it!

Crunch up tortilla chips & serve!

I hope whoever reads this will enjoy the soup

My First Blog

2008-06-27T04:22:00.000+10:00

After much talk about me getting a blog this week, (from a number of WONDERFUL FRIENDS!) I've finally GONE & DONE IT! Here is my first "blog". I don't have much to say, but I will say I may need a lot of help from you "pro-bloggers." Ya'll just can't leave me hangin'. It needs to look cute & adventurous! I am really excited about it though. With friends moving away recently, I've thought how sad to see them go. Then my next thought...how awesome it will be to have friends all over the country & I can still keep them apart of my life. And so the Adventure Begins....ENJOY!