Out to sea.....Week #2

Official Boat Photo!!

In true deployment style, mustache and all!

(He has 9 months to enjoy that fuzzy thing........yuck!)

 Just so you don't think life on an aircraft carrier is all work and no play......here's Mike, with his bosses no less, smoking cigars with the Admiral on a deck of the ship out in the big blue ocean.

Just a little Thursday night camera fun!

 Its a miracle.....#1 Mike's gone, and I made it in a photo!! #2 The girls both smiled and looked at the camera at the same time!!!!!!

Good thing for smart 4 year old's knowing how to work electronic phone cameras!!

Abby is a technical genius these days!!

Out to Sea.....Week #1

The USS Eisenhower has been out to see for a week now! One down......too many to count to go!

Here are some neat photos taken by the staff on-board.

Below is the strike group, consisting of:

*USS Dwight D Eisenhower

*Guided Missile Destroyer-USS Winston Churchill 

*Guided Missile Cruiser USS Hue City

*Guided Missile Destroyer USS Farragut 

*USS Jason Dunham

*Fleet Replenishment Oiler USNS Big Horn

 This last photo shows the planes on the deck, and it looks like the sailors dressed in white/black and spelled out "IKE WARRIORS" on the flight deck. Very cool shot from above the carrier.

ORANGE you happy to see them?!!?

 Maddy is definitely the typical PICKY 2-year old!!! I've had high hopes of change over time though, because Abby was the same way into her early 3's, and is now the biggest and most adventurous eater!!

(Tonight I made Coconut Curry Shrimp, and she devoured it!!! Asked for seconds too! And as a side asked for raw carrots and broccoli!!!) 

So I am optimistic that Maddy's eating habits will align one day too! For now, she is slowly starting to show signs of interest, as she explores certain foods that she sees her big sister eating. Today, it was oranges!! I know kids normally love fruit, but both of my kids were never big fruit eaters as toddlers. Abby of course now eats every fruit out there, but Maddy is skeptical. Her current fruits on the LIKE list.....Grapes, Bananas, and now ORANGES!!!!  Baby steps......

Busy days with GREAT Friends

Summer just started, and we are keeping busy with MANY swim playdates with friends!!

And nothing says SUMMER like some WATERMELON!!!

The kids are a great age this summer, needing little to NO mom assistance in the pool. So the kids splash, jump and swim while we actually get to socialize......between many trips to the potty, the fridge and the sunscreen bottle of course!! (Abby with her friends Akenna & Grace)

Just a little.....ABBY!

Abby is our little poser extraordinaire! She LOVES to pose for my photog friends!! 

(Thanks Danielle @ picsby2chicks.com.....another great set!!)

This tongue picture above, is totally Abby these days. She's discovered her tongue can touch her nose. I may have to blow that photo up and hang it in her room!!

The Starfish pose! She perfected it today by herself!! Floated solo on her back without her head going under! I am so proud of her swimming abilities!! She even raced me end to end in the pool today and wasn't even out of breath! I hope the next city we live in has a swim team, because I'm signing her up!!!

My Girls

Two photos my bestie Danielle took week before last while she had our girls overnight (picsby2chicks.com)

Fair Winds & Following Seas......USS Eisenhower

Well, our day has come.......and gone.

We dropped Mike off at the ship late last night. And then this morning the girls and I met the Admirals wife, and the other Strike Group families at a pier close to where the carrier docks, so we could watch the ship pull out! This was a FIRST for us, because in California, Mike always flew out onto the boat from Mugu and we never had the chance to see a proper farewell, or return for that matter down in San Diego. We get to do both this year!!

The kids played with bubbles and enjoyed each others company while we watched the boat from afar.

 ABOVE: the ship is still docked at the main pier, and the sailors are assembling in groups on the flight deck getting ready to "man the rails" (line up around the edge)

BELOW: The rails are manned! And the boat is ready to depart!

 It was a VERY warm and hazy/muggy morning, so the photos aren't as sharp, and the kids are a bit sweaty!

 Perspective, this is our view from the pier we were at, adjacent from the main pier where the boat pulled out of. Here it is coming out of the dock towards the bay.

 The tug boat left its side......and the USS Eisenhower is off on its journey!!

 Snack & drink break!!

Joes Crab Shack

We went to dinner @ Joe's Crab Shack this past Sunday night......checking off all of Mike's final suppers!

Not sure why we have never taken the kids there, it was a blast! They've never behaved so well, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Could have just been the loud music and many strange hanging ocean distractions in the room that drowned out the occasional whiny toddler voices.....who knows!?!

But my favorite part was our Madelyn! Every 30 minutes or so, the disco light turns on in the restaurant, and the staff gathers to dance to a song. Maddy just LOVED this feature, and stood on her booth seat and danced right along with them. Oftentimes even mimicking our waitress's hand gestures during the performance!!

Watch her perform a bit here....all while eating a french fry I might add!!!

I guess it's really happening.....

This was posted in our local paper last week:

NORFOLK

Three Norfolk-based Navy ships and thousands of sailors will leave Norfolk Naval Station next week for an overseas deployment, the service announced Friday.

The aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and the guided missile destroyers Winston S. Churchill and Jason Dunham will head to sea Wednesday, according to a news release. They'll be joined by two other ships that will deploy the same day from Mayport, Fla., the guided missile cruiser Hue City and the guided missile destroyer Farragut.

In all, 6,000 sailors will go with them.

Carrier Air Wing 7 will deploy with the group aboard the Eisenhower.

The sailors will spend at least six months away, supporting operations in the Middle East and Europe, the Navy said.

The Eisenhower is commanded by Capt. Marcus A. Hitchcock. The group of ships -- what the Navy calls a carrier strike group -- will be lead by Rear Adm. Michael Manazir. 

As much as we've been anticipating this event in our family, it brings many mixed emotions. My first thought of course is how much the girls and I will miss Mike on this long journey. My second thought is can we just get this started already?? I feel like the last couple weeks seem torturous with the upcoming date of doom!!

But trying to look on the brighter side of things, I've started a list of PROS for him being deployed:

(mostly to make myself feel better about it all and not just focus on the obvious negatives)

• More closet space!! YEP! I'm taking over his closet ASAP and spreading out-- one should not let such precious hanging space go to waste!!
• The bathroom counter is now 100% mine! Not that he took up much space before, but every little bit counts in a woman's world.
• That being said......toothpaste will last longer.....and so will my hairspray (which he uses way too much of for a guy with a mostly shaved head!! :))
• 50% less laundry to do--thus saving on detergent and water (50% less showers too!) :)
• Savings on his cell phone $$!! Savings on car insurance $$!! Savings on his gym membership $$!!
• HUGE savings on gas with him not driving to work!
• Our K-Cup coffee pods will last more than 50%  longer....he always drinks more than me!!
• Grocery bill should decrease.....we eat a lot simpler when he's gone
• My babysitters will make a healthy summer income-- mommy needs some time to herself!!
• King size bed all to myself......as long as no children try to invade it......

Maddy Slides Down- VIDEO

Maddy Carousel Ride- VIDEO

Pompei Water Ride- VIDEO

Mike, Dan & Abby went on this plunging water ride........Abby repeated over and over that was NOT her favorite. She didn't appreciate the special effects inside the tunnel before the drop.

But when she got off, she was pretty proud that her shirt was very dry, and only her hair and face were soaked!

Girls on the balloon ride VIDEO

Girls on the whirly ride VIDEO

I thought for sure Maddy would freak out on this ride, even with Abby & Kolbey with her.....she proved us wrong!!

Maddy- Flying Planes VIDEO

Maddy's first ride on the airplanes.....by herself too!

Abby Roller-Coaster VIDEO!

This is my FAVORITE video from our visit to Busch Gardens.

Mike recorded their first ride of the day, and her expressions are priceless!!

JUMP!

Thursday morning, before our Zoo adventure which came later, we met some friends at the indoor jump house, and had a blast!

This facility has larger inflatables, most of which require you to climb steep walls with these blue squares as your steps/handles. Normally Maddy never even attempts these......this day she did, and succeeded!

She got all the way up the slide, and went down MANY times like a champ. Nothing like a boost to your confidence when you are 2!!

Video of her slide to come soon......Needless to say they were both sweaty disasters by the time we left.

Zoo Members Night

Clearly we've had a BUSY week! Trying to fit in as many family-friendly things as we can on limited time.

But I feel like we succeeded, and the kids had a blast. 

Thursday night was "Members Night" at our local zoo. Normally the zoo closes at 5pm, so we are usually there in the peak (and warmest) of the day around noon. So this was a treat to get to do the zoo after hours!

 Started off with some $1 hot dogs!!!

 Girls in the Butterfly seat

 And of course on the Rhino!

My little otter

And my BIG otter

 A little otter family!!

 Strapped in and SOOO goofy

Busch Gardens Theme Park 2012

We made our annual trek to Busch Gardens yesterday to use our FREE pass for the summer!

It worked out well with Mike having the week off, so he could enjoy it with us! We went with our BEST Navy friends (who Mike went thru OCS with way back when....9 years ago...) Dan, Jessica, and their kids Kolbey (2-1/2) and Beau (3 mos).

It was a beautiful day, sunny, breezy, and NO LINES for anything!!!!

Compared to last year, both girls were more eager to try all the rides and push the limits.

Abby was 42" tall this year, which is the minimum for most of the suitable adult rides that she could go on, so she accompanied Dan & Mike on a lot of them, which was a thrill for her! She is our little roller coaster girl!

She even went on 2 of the 3 water rides in the park. Her not so favorite was the boat ride that is basically a large drop into a splash/spray of water......But her favorite if you ask her was the Log Ride!! She wanted to do it again, but none of us wanted to get that wet again! 

Maddy on the other hand......not so thrilled with the Log Ride and residual wetness....Ooops!

PS: You don't see myself or Jessica photographed....both of us are easily affected by motion sickness these days so we left that to the dads!

 Mike & Maddy on the Up/Down bouncy ride in Elmo's World (Kiddie area)

 Maddy piloting the airplane all by herself!

 Kolbey & Abby in their airplane

 All three girls in the hot air balloon

 All three girls in the zoomy zoomy in a cirle ride......video to post soon!

 Carousel--a classic favorite

Kid version of the swing ride.....that is about how fast it went as photographed....Abby then realized she was tall enough for the real swing ride and hopped on that with Mike. She LOVED it!!!! No fear! 

No more kid rides for this little adventurer!

 Tea Cups! The dad's took all three of them for a VERY fast spin ride

 Helping to spin their tea cup!

 Abby's most frequented ride of the day.....Kids roller coaster in Elmo's World. By the end of the day she was getting on/in and off all by herself as I watched from afar!

 Meeting some characters!

 Lunch show at the Beer Garden......Brats and more brats (the sausage variety :)

 This is Maddy's version of "cheese" for the camera....nice.