Catching you up and Saying Good-bye

Sorry for the long delay in updating the blog  No real excuses, just busy with life and all that goes with it. We have been doing a lot: we have travelled much and we have even bigger travel plans in the works!

First, I will catch you up and then I will tell you what to expect in the future.

 

Our last post was in September and since then Mommy Celebrated a big birthday! No kidding, she is 29.

We cleaned the circle in front of our house. It was our last project before leaving.

Trust me when I say it looks a lot better.

 

Mommy and Daddy went to Washington DC so Mommy could run the Marine Corps Marathon!

Here is the finish line, before the race.

Here is Mommy at the Half Way point.... needless to say, she finished. Sadly, Daddy could not keep up to get a picture at the finish line.

Here is Mommy with one of her fellow Afghan Veterans. She gave them a tour of DC!

A week after DC, we all went to Disney World. I played hookie from school! How Awesome!

We explored Tom Sawyer's island!

We went with the Heywood family! It was so much fun. Well, here, mommy got all of us tablets to play with so we will be quiet and the adults can have a conversation.

We also went to Sea World.

I got to touch the dolphins.

When we got back I went to see the USS Drum and the USS Alabama again!

Unlike the Disney Cruise, the USS Alabama actually has a kiddie prison.

As always it was a great visit to a great ship - will be a while till I get to come back. Hope, California has ships.

A few days later, we headed off to Columbus. We visited with Grandma Pat and all the rest of our family.

Here is Cousin Tommy, we visited Grandma and Grandpa Collins. Tommy is Daddy's 1st Cousin and my 2nd Cousin. He is a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Of course we visited Grandma Doris and put out new flowers.

Then we went back and visited Grandma and Grandpa Collins and put out new flowers there too!

We ate lunch at Chef Lee's with Aunt Bernie and Dalton. And a lot of other cousins.

Mommy cannot sit still - so, she got to cleaning attics and sorting clothes - and as a bonus, she got me some more clothes!

We visited Aunt Stacy and Uncle Bill. They put us to work painting.... you know Mommy, she can not sit still. So we visited and she painted!

After that we came home and me and Ammon went to Wild Willy's. We love playing the games there! It is just so cool!

We also enjoy racing the bikes!

Daddy cleaned the front yard for the last time!

And finally we attend the ward Christmas Party: Breakfast for Dinner....

 

And finally, if you made it through all that..... the big news is: Drum roll....

The movers come tomorrow!!  We are beginning the process of our move to California. Before Christmas we will be in Monterey, California. That is after we drive roughly two-thousand-five-hundred miles, hoping all the way that our belongings will get there too!

 

That said, we wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Where have we been? Let me see....

Yes, I am aware I have taken a lot of pictures and not posted any since early June. What can I say....

So to catch you up, here you go.

 

After the cruise we continued doing stuff.  We went to Columbus for Father's Day.

Christopher and Collyer

Christopher at the Infantry Museum.

Me visiting a friend's mom, Pat.

Chimge and I all dressed up.

After the Father's day meal... I cleaned up.

And everyone else relaxed!

 

We visited Grandma Doris.

 

Grandpa Collins and

Grandma Collins at Fort Benning.

Then we returned to Florida.

 

 We came home and Chimge returned to work. Life is progressing toward the big move, which will be in the late fall.

 

One exciting thing that happen here, the Turkey Creek project was completed. The board walk went from .7 mile out with a turn around, too a two mile round trip.

 

The new jump over the creek.

The connector, between South and North Turkey Creek.

 

Christopher has continued with Karate and he even won Movie Tickets to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle at a Karate event.

William, Christopher and Loki with the team.

After the movie we went bowling.

 

We took a trip to Sandestin to work on our climbing skills.

Christopher has been working on his fear of heights.

Three Stories up he rang the bell over Sandestin.

 

On the 4th of July we went to the USS Alabama for the 6th or 7th time.

Amier and Christopher on the USS Drum with Mobile Bay behind them.

Inside the USS Alabama.

On the Deck of the USS Alabama.

 

Taking a ride in the Duck.

 

No kidding they let a 5 year old drive. Only in Alabama.

The Duck.

 

The USS Alabama.

 

Christopher wanted a helmet. So I made him one. Much easier on the neck. You will understand why in a little while.

 

Christopher and his home made ACH.

 

We have taken up fishing. Christopher wanted to learn, so we went and got fishing gear.

Christopher at Blue Springs out on the range.

Fish # 3 or 4.

I even caught one.

 

Awhile back, I helped a neighbor I had never met before haul a 20 Ton dump worth of sand. I offered, he accepted. He thought I was crazy, this was back when Chimge was deployed. So he took us out on his sail boat as a family once she got home.

 

Bob, Christopher, Chimge and Pam.

 

The three of us....

The two of them.... Chimge loved sailing. Guess her next assignment will be in the US Navy.

Afterward we went swimming in the bay.

The boat.

 

Christopher went to a birthday party where you can swing and act crazy.

It was a gymnastic place. He had a lot of fun.

 

As I said, Christopher continues in Karate and in this picture he is a gold belt.

Christopher with Sensei Coy doing a strike.

 

Of course we went to wild Willy's and he finally cashed in some points.

Look at that, he got a tank. Go figure.

 

On July 17th Maria came to visit for a month. It was nice to see her. She will be a Senior when she goes back to school after Labor Day.

Christopher and Maria over looking the Bay.

Swimming on base in the Bayou/ Bay.

 

In June and July Christopher started swimming lessons. This will be the year he figures out it is easier to swim than to try to breath under water.

Christopher is doing great and can now swim!!!

 

We took a nice trip to Pensacola to see the Naval Museum, the Light house and the Fort!

The light house from the bottom.

The light house from the top!

On the way down. 189 steps each way!

The fort entrance.

Inside the Fort.

 

If you come to Florida, everyone wants to see the beach. Of course I prefer to see it from the bridge. Less sand.

Christopher and Maria at Henderson Beach Park.

 

Christopher wanted to take another trip to Sandestin so Maria could see it.

Checking out the tree houses.

Christopher and Maria on the ropes course.

Nothing like a nice meal after a work out.

 

Had to throw this in there....

Christopher is still enjoying short hair. Nothing like a good high and tight.

Just a visitor to our yard. We have had a lot of creatures coming around.

Dressed for church.

 

Christopher always ask what it is like in the Army. He wanted a camo uniform so he could play Army. I figured it would not hurt to show him, might help him chose the USAF or College.

So he got to dig a fighting position. It is not to standard, but it is a start.

It took hours, but I gave him water breaks.

Now you see why he needed a ACH.

 

Maria and I had some father daughter time.  I learned 16 year old girls are difficult to deal with.... LOL. I have no idea what she learned!

Maria at Turkey Creek.

Christopher and Maria feeding the fish and ducks.

 

And of course we went back to Wild Willy's, this time with Ammon. He is a buddy from Church.

What the wild creatures eat...

What the wild kids eat....

They won a few prizes and had a good time.

 

On the weekend, we took Maria and Amier to the Florida Caverns. Christopher was able to conduct the tour with no issues.

The tour guide.

 

At least in the cave it was somewhat dry.

 

Christopher listening to the tour guide, before making corrections.

 

The final picture. It was hard to get some pictures due to rain.... or the crowds in the cave.

 

The swimming lessons paid off....

 

Christopher hitting the diving board in 12' of water....

He made it too the side, if he did not I am sure you would have heard.

 

It is my intent to add some more..... Lots more going on. Not sure I took pictures of it, but a lot going on way down here on the Gulf.

 

Keep going back a page, there is a part 2.