Photoshop is here!

Sorry that it has been awhile since I've posted anything, things have been a bit harried around here lately. I definitely know that I would not be good at running a Bed and Breakfast after how exhausting it was having eight extra adults in our 3 bedroom house. Fortunately there were various lengths of overlap with our different guests. We were so glad to have all of you visit to watch Wil run the Honolulu marathon and celebrate Christmas with us. But we're looking forward to getting back into our normal routine as much as possible before Wil deploys.

Anyway, on to the reason for my post, we finally got our Photoshop software - after much arguing with Dell, which sent us the wrong item with our Laptop order - and here is my first attempt at using it.

Wil looks good in this photo but Abigail's hair is in her face

Here Abigail looks better but Wil isn't smiling

So I made a composite of the two images - and it turned out pretty well. The skin tones in the two pictures are slightly different so I might do some more tweaking to it. I think it will be my mission while Wil is gone to learn how to use this software.

Oh and I almost forgot, Merry Christmas! This Hawaii weather is royally screwing me up - it doesn't even seem like Christmas when it's 80 degrees out. (And no, I'm not trying to rub it in, Michigan people, Wil and I really do miss the snow.)

Payton's birthday party

Photo shoot location

Here's the beach we're going to shoot our family pictures at, so start getting inspired Mom!

November

Well it appears that my toe is finally on it's way to being healed. Abigail stepped on it this morning (as she usually does many times during the day) and it didn't hurt. It still seems slightly swollen but I'm now confident that I can get back on track with my running, no pun intended.

Abigail decided I needed a little more fruit in my diet - she's putting her raisins in my vitamin case.

While Wil was in Yuma I took Abigail to a bouncy place in Aiea and she absolutely loved it. Now that she's a little bigger she can actually climb up the ladders herself which means I get to enjoy watching her play instead of carrying her to the top of the slide every time.

A side note for the grands, it looks like we'll be able to take all of you to one of Abigail's gymnastics classes - so you'll all be able to watch her run, jump and play to your heart's content.

USMC Birthday Ball

This weekend was the 233rd birthday of the United States Marine Corps and we were able to celebrate in grand style. Abigail went to her own little baby ball at a local kiddie gym and we were told that she had a blast. She must have, she was still awake and playing when we picked her up at 11 pm. We were a little disapointed not to be able to stay longer, especially since they didn't play any slow songs before we left, but all in all we had a great time. We did get portraits taken but those will probably be several weeks away. Here's a photo courtesy of April with all of us girls and our "53" guys.

Noel

I bought Abigail a new Alphabet puzzle today - to go with her Numbers and Shapes puzzles. She apparently has some deep aversion to the letter "L". She refuses to put the L in, even when I point out where it goes. And if I put it in myself she immediately takes it out and throws it on the floor. She doesn't do this to any other letter, just the L.

In other news, with her numbers puzzle she can now identify the numbers 2, 4, and 9 - of course she also calls the 6 a 9, but that's understandable.

The streak has been broken

No, I'm not talking about the Hudson Football streak, but Abigail's no nap streak. Today was the first in five days that she took a nap. Of course, she didn't sleep in her bed. She slept on the chair in her room - which is probably why she woke up with funny sleep marks on her face. And you're probably assuming that she was a much happier, sweeter toddler after finally getting a good nap. Well you'd be wrong, she was cranky for most of the night. Finally she asked for her "Monkey" (That would be Monkey the camel) and curled up next to me on the couch. After that she seemed to be in a much better mood. We'll see what happens tomorrow, hopefully she'll get a good nap in especially since she'll probably be missing her naps on Sunday (friend's birthday party) and Monday (Bible study).

C-A-N-D-Y

So Abigail has now learned the word candy - fortunately right now she likes taking the candy out of her bag, lining them all up on her lap, looking at each piece and then putting them back in the bag, more than she likes actually eating the candy.

Grandma, Grandpa (Bucka), Grammy, and Poppy - you will not believe how much she has changed. I see her every day and sometimes I can't believe it.

Halloween Parties

We went to two Halloween Parties this year - one at the MAG and one at Church. Wil and I were feeling a little under the weather for the MAG party. That fact combined with the very loud music meant we only stayed a short time. Abigail was very shy that night, probably because of the music and a few scary costumes. We stayed for most of the church party but then had to leave when the kid's activities were over to get Wil over to the barracks before his flight to Yuma. I made Abigail's costume out of felt and I think it turned out pretty well, especially considering it was all sewn by hand. Hope you enjoy the pictures of our little Pocahontas.

Abigail surprises me every day - I was so sure she would fight her costume and try to take it off but she did so great. She got a little annoyed in the car when her car seat harness was making the feathers poke up at her face but other than that we had no problems.

Congratulations Wil on making Captain! I'm so proud of you and I wish I could be there to pin you myself.

My running progress is going to have to take a step back - I may have broken a toe last night. I stubbed it on an electrical outlet and now the entire tip of my toe is a brilliant shade of purple. I thought about taking a picture of it but I figured you'd enjoy these of Abigail more. Was I right? Plus I'm still fighting a cold. These things always seem to happen when Wil has to go out of town. Oh well, fortunately it's Hawaii so flip-flops or "slippers" as they're called here, are always in style.

Pumpkin Patch

We took Abigail took a pumpkin patch on the other side of the island on Saturday. They had a bunch of kiddie rides and she had so much fun trying each one. She wanted to climb the rock wall but she was too small. I think she would have stayed all day if we had let her but it rained several times that morning so everything was wet and muddy. She, of course, didn't mind the mud at all. Her attention span on the rides was somewhat short, she would start out so happy and excited and then after a few minutes she would just sit there not smiling. But as soon as the ride was over she was ready to go on another one. Fortunately there was no crying or screaming though - we saw quite a few kids have meltdowns after their parents put them on the rides.

Words to live by

An American Creed

I Do Not Choose to Be a Common Man

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”

By Dean Alfange
—————
*Originally published in This Week Magazine.
Later reprinted in The Reader’s Digest, October 1952 and January 1954.

The Honorable Dean Alfange was an American statesman born December 2, 1899, in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was raised in upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and attended Hamilton College, graduating in the class of 1922. He attended Columbia University where he received his law degree and opened a practice in Manhattan. In 1942, Alfange was the American Labor Party candidate for governor of New York and a founder of the Liberal Party of New York. Dean Alfange was also Professor Emeritus at UMass Amherst and a leading figure in various pro-Zionist organizations. Between other actions, in November 1943, he appeared before the House of representatives and addressed them on the rescue of the Jewish people of Europe. He died in Manhattan at the age of 91 on October 27, 1989.

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Sarahbee with the following rules:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. If you don’t have 7 blog friends, or if someone else already took dibs, then tag some unsuspecting strangers.

The facts:
1 - I've been married for 6 years (does that make me old?)
2 - I used to take steers to the fair for 4-H
3 - I've lived in 5 different states - Michigan, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and now Hawaii
4 - I'm getting back into running
5 - I love watching America's Next Top Model and Army Wives
6 - I just finished making my daughter a Pocahontas costume for Halloween - pictures coming soon
7 - I drive a stick-shift

7 Bloggers tagged:

1 - April Bryant
2 - Mindy Wilson
3 - Geigers
4 - Bonny
5 - Alvarez Family
6 - Marcelle
7 - Tonia

Um, yeah I'll get around to actually tagging them soon

Honolulu Zoo

For those of you who were wondering, Wil's squadron is the Ugly Angels so the Ugly family day was a family day for his squadron. Just in case there was any confusion.