Its a BOY!!!!

I had the chance to host my first baby shower at my house today. It was for my sweet friend Julie and her baby to come Carson. Julie and I met via facebook back in Feb. of 2010 and our friendship has just grown from there. I was honored to be apart of such a special time in her life. Seeing's she is a new army wife, her hubby is deployed and this is her first baby there is alot going on for her. I wanted to be able to make things just alittle bit easier and take care of her shower.
Once I started talking to Sarah my co-worker about the shower and everything I had planned (she knows Julie as well) she was all over wanting to help. We had the menu planned, the event was at 1pm so light snacks was a must. Sarah is a Cup Cake Queen and offered to do the Cup Cakes as the cake and use her fabulous holder as well for the table center piece. With a couple games planned out to do and Starbucks gift cards for the winners, frozen punch to drink & lots and lots of gifts and good friends I think we had a wonderful time. I have to say that this chickadee is one blessed girl, all of her friends that came showered her with love and joy and sweet words of wisdom for the mommy to be.
He parents were in town for the weekend as well (we planned the shower for when they would be here) so her mom was able to attend, which I'm really happy we were able to do. I loved being able to open up my home for my friends to gather and enjoy time together. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with the ones I love. Everyone was so grateful for everything we did and couldn't stop thanking us, "it was our pleasure" Sarah and myself said as we told everyone "we love playing Susie House Wife". :) I can't wait to host the next event or get together at our home, I think next on the agenda is THANKSGIVING!!!!

~part of the gift I got her~

~Sarah's diaper cake gift~

~the fabulous cup cakes~

~the good's~

~the host's & mommy to be~

~daughter & mommy~

~writing my advice to her~

~Sarah taking down who brought what~

~she loved the outfit so much, she got teary eyed~

Its not JUST A CAR........

......ITS A DODGE CHALLENGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was pondering over pictures one evening trying to figure out this years Christmas card. I knew I wanted a picture of Gabe in Iraq on it and one of us together as well as the dogs. So there is three pictures. Good enough right. Well I got to thinking I could use one of the ones that I had taken a couple weekends ago of me on it and then that's when I came up with a bright idea. I'm so crazy about my car its my pride & joy so why not see if Brittney from Lowder Photography can take my picture on the beach and incorporate my car. So I asked her and she was ALL over it. This to is a surprise to Gabe, he has NO idea I did this and I can't wait for him to see. I think after we were done I was more stoked about this photo shoot than I was for the first one. I am thinking I am just going to send him the Christmas card early and surprise him that way with the "car pictures". Well that is if I can hold out that long and not tell him.







The pictures were taken down on a beach at Dillingham, the weather was perfect and I couldn't be more happy with the way things turned out. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the pictures, I though I loved my car before now I just LOVE IT EVEN MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!






ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

A picture say a thousand words

With our 3 year Wedding Anniversary coming up quickly, I was at a loss as to what to get Gabe while in Iraq. See our first two anniversaries we were lucky enough to be able to spend them together. However this year things are a bit different due to the deployment. Sure we could have planned R&R around our Anniversary were he would be home. BUT November was just WAY to early for us to do R&R. Later the better is our motto.

Beachin it up!!!

There's no better way to spend the day when you live in Hawaii than at the beach. So today I did just that, with my pups that is. My friend Sarah and her hubby were taking their doggie Ella to Hickam dog beach aka the sandbar & invited us to join with them. We made our way down around 11:30 this afternoon and had lots of fun in the sun. The pooches ran up and down the beach, they swam in the ocean until they couldn't swim any more. They made lots of new friends of ALL sizes from a 4 month old beagle puppy to a 3 year old English Bull mastiff. I love going to the beach with the puppies and watching them run up and down the beach. They get so excited and start going crazy and next thing you know all the dogs are running back and forth. I wish Gabe was here to go with us, but I guess until he gets back it will just be the pups and me. I can't wait to go to the beach as a family again.

My loves

My Puppies & Me

Sarah had treats

Bailey relaxing on the beach

Playing in the ocean

Haunted Houses

Over the last couple weekends a few of us have gotten together and went to the different Haunted Houses they have on island. It was so much fun, I missed being able to go with my friends and family back on the mainland. It's the start of the big Holiday season and it always helps get me in the Holiday mood. Although it's not cold at all like it is back on the mainland, its still just as much fun. I've managed to capture a few snaps here and there of our adventures out and about.

The first weekend we went to the Haunted Lagoons @ the Polynesian Culture Center. As you board a 40 person canoe and ride along the lagoons of the Polynesian Culture Center you will have several people jumping out at you from under the water or out from the bushes. You go through what seems to be a tunnel of smoke leading up to the next adventure. Beware because you WILL get wet. It wasn't so much scary if you are sitting midway to the back of the canoe because the people in front would give away by screaming that something was coming. It was a great time though and I'm glad I was able to go.





The second weekend we went to the Haunted Plantations. We started the evening off at Chili's for drinks. It was a much longer wait this time so we opted for the fast pass which still seemed to be a long wait just a shorter line. We were sprinkled on, on and off while waiting and that only made the time go by a bit slower. While waiting in line at one point they had a bunch of the "cast" come out in the lines and scare people and they even had chain saw. Of course there was no chain on it but that didn't matter it scared the living crap out of me. Walking through the plantations we went through a series of houses that were super spooky. A note to keep in mind : when you reach the end be sure not to run straight ahead from the people cashing you because there is a pound at the end and you don't want to run right into it.





The third haunted house was Nightmares Live. It was downtown in Honolulu in a old warehouse right off the street. They had allot going on from food booths, to buying pumpkins and rides for the Kekies. We got there pretty early this time and managed to get our tickets and get in line before 7pm. (which is when it started) Walking through a series of room with people coming out at you from every corner was a bit creepy. The couple behind us was totally freaked out by the clowns which was totally priceless. It was a allot shorter than I though it would be but we still had a great time.




I love this time of year and only wish my love was here with my to join in on the fun. We have yet to spend a Halloween together. Oh may be next year we will :) fingers crossed.

SkyDive Hawaii take #2

Our friend A. is turning 30 and wanted to celebrate in a BIG WAY. What better way than to get a group of your friends together and go jump out of a plane. I was so excited when the invite went out. I mean I love love this couple more than ever and couldn't wait to hang out with them and then to go sky diving again on top of that. Hell yea i'm totally in :)




They had the whole back area set up at SkyDive Hawaii with tables and chairs, we all brought a dish and even had a grill. Burgers, dogs, chicken you name it, it was all there. I knew a hand full of people that were there which made me a bit more nervous about jumping. About 12:30ish my friend Tara showed up and we were able to switch planes around so I could be on the same one with her and that made things alittle easier and less stress full.


I was so excited and pumped to jump again and just couldn't wait. I got all harnessed up and my heart wasn't even racing yet.


I boarded the plane and we took off and then that's when it hit me that I was really doing this AGAIN. I told Wyatt (my jumping buddy) that I couldn't do flips or lots of turns because last time I almost got sick. So do you think he listened to me at all......NO. As we are getting higher in the air Wyatt asks me if I wanna go out frontwards or backwards....."ummmm I don't know which is worse" I ask him. He says "well if you go out face first you see what is coming and if you go out back first you don't know WHATS coming." OH DEAR LORD, what have I got myself into again. So the time has come and every one is "jumping plane" (prior to us boarding I told him "I don't wanna go first and I don't wanna go last") well guess who's turn it is finally US. Yup that's right we went last, not on purpose just so happened to be the way we all got on the plane and sat down.
As we walked to the door Wyatt turns around with his back to the door and counts to 3 and BAM. There we go flipping out backwards doing flip after flip. It was sooooo incredible I loved every minute of it. It felt like we were free falling allot longer this time around than the first time. I don't know if it was because I kind of knew what to except or what. Once he pulled the shoot he handed me the cords to steer and turn us around in circles. It was allot harder than I though it would be, you really have to put some mussel in to it.




I had so much fun though and can't wait to go back again. YUP again, I'm going with my favorite Sarah and her husband and one of our other friends N. this next Saturday. I tried getting them to come today but N already had plans, so next weekend it is. It was definitely a great way to spend the day. Chatting up with some great friends and grilling and just relaxing in paradise on a nice sunning Saturday ......oh and jumping out of planes of course.
I managed to get it videoed this time and love it :)

Girls just wanna have fun....

After a LONG work week a night out with the girls was just what I needed. A few of my favorite chickadee's, a cute black top, a fresh shower and my hair did and I was ready to go!!! The four of us girls loaded up in the truck (I love driving Gabe's truck) and off to Waikiki we went. Chatting the whole way down and making plans for another night out this coming week, we were already having a good time and we hadn't even gotten to were we where going yet.
The Yard House it was......Julie and I had both been there before a time or two but it was a first for Sandy and Nancy which made for a even better time. We managed to get 3 seats right at the bar with in 5 minutes of being there and that's were we ended up parking our behinds for the night. Chatting the night away enjoying a drink or ............ 5 or 6 depending on who you asked lol. For a moment we were able to put the worries and stress of the deployment and all four of our husbands being gone aside and enjoy the evening. This deployment has been a ruff one for sure and having nights like tonight is just what we needed.
I have been so blessed with such amazing friends who I call family here in Hawaii and wouldn't have asked for a better support team to help me through this journey.





We had a great night with LOTS and LOTS of LAUGHS and stories that we will share forever!!!!!! I can't wait to do it all over again!!!!!

Dinners

~Outback w/ Sandy & Emmi~


I love getting together with friends for dinner and I love even more having people over and doing dinner here at the house. My friend Julie and I have been doing dinner through the deployment once a week at my house. Normally i'll cook and we will chow down on our dessert, which usually is Chocolate Covered Stawberries. A time or two we will go out to eat and treat ourselves. Such as last Friday we went down to the Cheese Cake Factory in Waikiki to celebrate a friend graduating from WLC and my little brothers 22 birthday. (Even though he wasn't here)



I have also been enjoying many home cooked dinner nights with my sweet German friend Sandy at her house. In the middle of it all I am meeting some really great new friends and growing closer to the ones that I have already. I wouldn't ever wish a deployment on Gabe and I ever but one thing I am getting out of it, is i'm definetly growing closer to the friends I have made here on island. I miss being able to cook for the two of us, so having friends over and cooking for them is always loads of fun. Last night we had Chicken Tamale Casserole, Green Bean, Rice, Salad, Banana Pie and Zebra Brownies with of course some SWEET TEA. We can't do dinner with a house full of southern people and not have sweet tea.




I'm looking forward to next weeks dinner get together with everyone (it keeps growing and more people are starting to come which is always fun) its gonna be a Kalua Pork night :) Can't wait. I really wish the love of my life was here to join with us and........help with the dishes as well. :)