Goodbye FRG

I went to my last 225 Coffee a few days before we left.  It's been an interesting 6 years with this group that is forever changing.  I have been the longest standing member for some time and it was finally my turn to go.  We met at Bravo's and had a fun time eating, talking, meeting new babies, and playing games.  The ladies were also so nice to give #3 and i a sweet "shower gift" because i won't be around to have a shower.  The current group of ladies are pretty great, and i hate to be leaving now but the Army is a small place and i hope to see some of them again someday!

the ladies, and one little man!

my last belly shot with the preggo group

this is Ann-Marie--with little Macy D chilling out on her fabulously "ready" belly.  Ann-Marie has since delivered a sweet big boy, Theo, weighing in at 9 lbs, 13 oz. Whoa Mama!

February Coffee Group

I'm pretty late on this post, but this past month Sarah and I hosted our FRG Coffee.  We had an Italian night with lots-a yummy food and then we played Bunco! 

a few things to note...our group is really growing!  a year ago we were lucky to have 6 ladies at the coffees and then here is a pic from our tea in September and then look below!  and this with 3 of regulars not there. 

 and the group is about to double in size! literally! that's right, there are 6 of us expecting, and Josi on the far end just gave birth to Maci the week prior!  and yes, that's my belly up close in personal (and admittedly a little food belly too).  We lined up by due dates, and i just jumped in without having told anyone i was pregnant.  So, Surprise.  haha.  

So yeah, it was a good night.  I'm sad to be leaving this group of ladies.  That's the life of an army life i guess, hopefully i will meet some lovely ladies at Bragg as well!

A Cookie Exchange

Our Coffee Group had our first annual Cookie Exchange this year.  In the past we've played Dirty Santa/or had an Ornament Exchange, but this year we tried something different.  If you haven't heard of one before, everyone makes a cookie (or 4 dozen!) and then you bring them to the party, taste test each one, vote on your favorites, and then grab take-home boxes and fill them up with everyone else's cookies! 

this is a great idea, fun for everyone and i believe the husbands really benefit as well.  Mike was very happy when i brought home his very own box of assorted homemade cookies!

here is the table of all of the cookies  

my white chocolate gingerbread cookies

 and since we are talking about food, lets talk about this cute little veggie tree...a great idea, yes?

  we played a game involving panty hose, balloons and a brave volunteer...and this is what happened

   and then we came back inside to announce the cookie winners....

my good friend, Sarah who the Mommy Award for the "simplest" cookie

 this show-off here one the Martha Stewart Award for creativity

 Josi won the Paula Dean Award, for best tasting--a carrot cake cookie, courtesy of her Grammy's recipe, pretty yummy!

 

and then Caroline won the Sandra Lee Award for presentation

 

the winners and their cookies

 the preggos

 our sweet group

Good Times and a fun start to the Holiday Season!

Tea Time, Ladies and DIY Bath Scrubs

Last Saturday I hosted a coffee for our incoming Commander's wife, Lisa. She and her husband are actually coming back to the battallion after a 2 year break. Lisa was a part of the the first coffee group that I ever attended when we first arrived to Hawaii. It is nice to have her back and I really enjoyed hosting this get together for her.

We met at A Cup of Tea in Kailua, and had a real "tea" complete with little sandwiches and scones. There are a lot of new women in our coffee group and we had a good time getting to know each other.

Here's our group pic:with the guest of honor3 of the ladies (including my good friend Sarah, in the middle) are pregnant and all due within a month of each other...so of course we got a belly shotThis coffee was a good excuse to put some of my pinterest ideas to good use. I've been eyeing the homemade bath scrubs for awhile and thought they would make perfect gifts for the party.

The scrubs were SUPER EASY to make and i love that they use common ingredients that you probably already have on hand. I did buy this one oil especially for the scrubs. Coconut oil is supposed to be fabulous for your skin--strange though. It's solid in room temp so you have to heat it up to use it. For most of the scrubs I used essential oils to add scents, but I also experimented with some natural scents and ingredients including, lemons, limes and oranges.
The End Product. Pretty cute, yes?

(i actually made a lot more than this, just forgot to take a picture!)

Here are the recipes i used if you are interested in trying this out too!

Lavender and Honey Salt Scrub

Citrus Hand Scrub -- for this one i used salt instead and added lime zest to it. It is great to use to get rid of food smells on your hands after cooking!

Vanilla and Brown Sugar Scrub -- careful you may want to eat this one!

Pepperming Foot Scrub -- perfect for the holidays

Tropical Sugar Scrub -- for this one i didn't use the salt and i used more oil to make it wetter---either way, it's pretty great--my favorite so far. Although be careful...it can make the tub slippery after use!

Boo Fest

Friday, after our day at Dole Plantation, we stopped by Boo Fest on Schofield Barracks. We entered a costume contest...if you ask me it wasn't very organized and it must have been rigged, because we didn't win. I mean can you imagine anything cuter than these two pumpkins? I didn't think so. :) I'd like to say thanks to my mom, Nana, for making these cute costumes! We've gotten so many comments on them!

We ran into some friends while there, Connor and his new baby sister Amelia...or should i say Obi Won Konobe and Princess Leia
check out this sweetie upclose!
Nora with her treat bag from Grandma and Grandpa Caudle

Auntie Jenn dressed up too!

we also ran into the DeSilva's as a s'more...so cute!

Check back later for more Halloween Updates..it's been a full weekend!

Happy Independence Day!

The Fourth of July is one of my most favorite holidays...like right there beside Christmas...for lots of reasons. The fourth is the very essence of what summer is all about--its sunny, hot, everyone is outside, dancing, cooking out, eating, concerts, playing games--fellowshipping together--i just love it!

Obviously being a military family has brought new meaning to the day as well--i understand so much more now what so many men and women have sacrificed through our nations history in order for us to have our freedom. I'd also like to say, you haven't celebrated the 4th until you done it on a military base--today in the middle of our parade grounds ,with thousands of people around, at exactly 5 o'clock the American flag comes down as it does every day and every single person stops whatever it is they are doing, stands up and faces the flag and waits for it to come down while listening to the trumpet sound, and right before the flag it completely lowered, it stops and seems to suspend perfectly just above the ground and the entire field of people cheer--pretty awesome!

And then, the 4th is also mine and Mike's day--its our official dating anniversary (12 years!), when we got engaged, and also the anniversary of some of my very best memories with him. For this reason, spending the day without him is always a bit hard. I woke up a bit teary this morning and felt his absence most of the day, but i am thankful for the great friends and 2 beautiful babies that the good Lord has placed in my life to keep my mind off everything and help me enjoy each day.

So, for this year's 4th, we spent the morning at church. I'd like to point out how strange it always seems to have holidays fall on the 4th--but then I think its a great opportunity to put things into perspective... to always put God first. After church we went to our new friend Sarah's house so the babies could take a nap before we went to base to celebrate the 4th.--which reminds me again of one more thing (or should i say 2) that has put things into perspective! Nap time more important than party time...whew, what a change!

I'd like to tell you it was a good nap, but it really wasn't--and therefore there was a little crankiness the rest of the day, but really it wasn't so bad. Thankfully the sheer amount of craziness and people on base kept the babies distracted for the most part. Although, at 7 o'clock, already past their bedtimes, the babies were DONE for the day, so this Mommy packed up her sleepyheads and brought them home to bed. And really, although it is my first 4th of July alone in the house before 9 pm, i don't really mind--those sweet little things upstairs are more than worth it and honestly i've seen some pretty sweet fireworks in my life and don't feel slighted in the least by not seeing any tonight. BUT..just in case you are wondering former Hawaii friends, YES the neighborhood is rocking and popping with backyard firecrackers and if they wake up my babies, i'm going to be one mad mommy!

Here's some of our pictures from the day. There are lots of good ones, you'll need to click here to see them all. I don't know what it is, but red, white, blue and sunlight guarantee for great pictures, don't you think?

me and my sweet babies

she just loved my beads!

This is why he's hot

ATTN: nap time desperately needed

love the bow Nanny Katie!

apparently, so does Holden!
hehe..the pic link has lots more of good ones like these!

Holden and Auntie Sarah

i just love that smile

The next 3 are a succession of "wet kiss" pictures...so sweet and so yucky all at the same time!

Mommy's Boy

Oliva gave Nora her necklaces because Nora was admiring them for so long

Nora and Tracie

This is for you Babe

Mommy and Holden on the way to our FRG Coffee...he was such a good boy!

Single Soldier Baskets

The past few days have been wonderful having Mike back. We have been taking it easy, not doing too much so he can rest and recover. Mike did have to report to formation this morning and will start his outprocessing on Monday. This process will take a few weeks to complete and his schedule will be different day to day.

Right now, Mike is taking a nap and I am using this time to catch up on watching LOST and a little blogging.

I want to say thank you for all who helped send items/money for our single soldiers who are coming home from deployment. For those of you who don't know, our Batallion has been collecting donations to make a basket for every single soldier coming home to live in the barracks. The basket contains bedding and pillows, hygeine products, food, notes, gift cards, and anything else anyone wanted to include. Many of these single soldiers will not be able to get to their things or their vehicles for a few days and these baskets are supposed to provide the things that they will need immediately, plus let them know that we appreciate what they have done and are glad they are back safely.

I have been so touched at the generosity of me friends, family and church. Many of you gave so much to these soldiers who you don't know at all. I delivered 18 baskets from you all and I am so greatful to have such wonderful, giving friends and family. Especially after going to a homecoming ceremony and seeing how wonderful and happy a time it can be, I can also see how it might be confusing and lonely for the soldiers who had no one there to greet them and no home to go back to. So, thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all you have done to help brighten these soldiers day!

Thanks to Kim for helping me shop, haul and put together these baskets!

You were my lifesaver!

15 baskets delivered in one day