December 13th - Star

The star of the day is......

Isaac is in 2nd year band this year playing the baritone.

A couple of bad photos of the choir and Isaac walking on stage.

The fact that the baritones sit in the back (as does all the brass in a band)

doesn't lead to good photos.  

December 12th - Listen

I couldn't resist it .....

If you are thinking,

"I can't see anything"

LISTEN....

There is nothing to see!

December 11th - UP CLOSE

Today was a great day for this theme.

Because my running buddies (aka - Sole Sisters) had our Christmas Party / ornament exchange.

And even though the photos aren't UP CLOSE necessarily - I feel like we are all close with each other.

I have enjoyed running with these ladies and encouraging each other.

They are so strong and motivating.

They are great moms and wives.

They are fun and funny.

This group of military wives are from all over
and I am so blessed to know each and every one of them.

December 10th - RED

Monday
Monday....

well,  I worked out with some buddies instead of running

...did a huge amount of laundry,
and then,
hit the commissary for groceries for the Sole Sisters Christmas party.

picked up some donated items for the foster care Christmas dinner this Sat.

and I am failing miserably at this photo thing!

I SHOULD be taking my camera places and LOOKING for something interesting that fits the theme for the day.  That's not really happening and I end up using a "file" photo or something.

ANYWAY.....

I used this picture in home decor (back on day 3)  but I like it....

and this one is from the concert at Ypao Beach

And here is a photo taken...

with my iPhone

by a 7 year old who:  

• can't be still (obviously)
• should have been getting ready for school
• is not supposed to play with my phone

But it IS a red candle...... 

December 9th - YOU

Sunday - always a good day!

We went to church and worshipped with our Bayview Family.

Afterwards, we met a friend from San Diego here for work and went to lunch.
(military / now stationed in Japan )

Quick home and back out for haircuts for two of the boys.

Then,  load back up and head back to church.

The theme today was YOU - but I didn't take any pictures of myself,
'cause I always hate the ones on Facebook of someone in the bathroom.
And I STINK at holding my arm out and getting a good pics.

So.... here is a file photo of ME - the YOU in the photo challenge
taken by Zion at one of Michael's soccer games.
The 'face' is because he isn't suppose to use my camera without permission!

December 8th - Temperature

Saturday -

Mike and all the kids got up at MY usual running time and headed off to the USO 5K 

RUN FOR THE HEROS!

It was a great fund raiser for USO and the kids had a good time.

Mike won a gift certificate to a tattoo place, so stay tuned for that!  :P

(*just kidding)

And I actually slept until almost 7am, which hasn't happened in a SUPER long time.

(20 years ago, I would have never thought of 7am as sleeping in, just saying)

I went to a Women's Craft Day at our church and had a great time with the ladies.

I made 5 tile coasters for each kid with the selfish motivation that they will actually PUT

their cups on their coasters and I won't have to wash 101 plastic cups at the end of each day.

Saturday night is our normal FAMILY NIGHT time -

So we had popcorn on the couch and watched Akeela and the Bee.

Great movie!

Here is a quote from the movie that I really like.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. 

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? 

In the movie - the quote stops here and is credited to Nelson Mandela.  

The rest of the quote is here....and was written by Marianne Williamson in a book called, "Return to Love"

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Chew on that for a while..... it's good.

The photo challenge today is TEMPERATURE.

So Merry Christmas from Guam!

December 7th - something sweet

Another busy day -
Isaac had a cross-country meet,
Michael had soccer practice.

NavFac Christmas Party at 6pm.

I am thankful that Michael is old enough to babysit.

Not the world's best babysitter by far, but free.
(well, his room and board, food and clothes we pay for so....)


Anyway, for something sweet I wanted to post this photo.

Meleah at 6 months

I am really missing this sweet little face!

December 6th - Glitter

Busy Thursday.

IEP in the morning for Isaac, which was 3  1/2 hours long.

UGH!

Michael had a soccer game in the afternoon.

And they lost.

Double UGH!

On a lighter note -

At Mike's work Christmas Party, they had a purple Christmas tree.

I was in LOVE!

December 5th - messy

Well....this was an easy photo.

I could have done any room in our house.

With 5 kids,
a dog,
and parents that aren't gifted with organizational skills,
we aren't that tidy.

But we are healthy and happy and have everything we need.

For that, I am more thankful than I would be over a tidy house.

laundry room / pile

December 4th - handwriting

Lucky for me -
on day 4,
with the theme of "handwriting" -
we got our first three Christmas cards in the mail.

I baby sat for a friend while the kids were at school and worked on the laundry pile in between chasing around a curious toddler.

I am still waiting for my Christmas card order to come in the mail,
hopefully soon.

Otherwise, the day was "regular"
with cross-country practice for Isaac,
soccer practice for Michael
and homework for the other three.

Happy Tuesday!

December 4th 2012

December 3rd - Home Decor

This day was a MONDAY.

I spent 2 hours and 45 minutes standing at the Guam DMV to replace my driver's license and registration from my purse being stolen last week.

It really did make my back hurt and give me a headache.

BUT.... I kept reminding myself that somewhere in the world, some mom like me was standing in line like I was .....just to get food for her babies.  

I kept wishing they would play Christmas music or something so I could focus on something else besides the minutes ticking by....

but again,  I do know it's a "first world problem" and I am thankful that I have a van to drive!

ANYWAY.... the rest of the day was just as crazy, busy with a trip to the commissary,
two dentists appointments,
cross-country carpool,
and soccer pick-up.

I didn't even check and see what the "theme" was for today until around 9pm.

Thankfully, it was something that I could do easily.

Home Decor

(*now that I look at the picture, I am annoyed that the green ones are all together - didn't realize it before) 

My mom got this for my birthday (in May) and I have been itchy to put it out for 6 months!
I LOVE IT!

random fact about me - I never turn my tree off
once it's on and decorated, it stays on.

December 2nd - HANGING

December Daily - Photo of the day challenge:  HANGING

Well,  today was a busy day and I took advantage of it with my camera and the challenge for the day.

We went to church this morning.

During the afternoon, we went to Ypao Beach for a Christmas Concert.

HANGING out

HANGING ornaments

HANGING chords

HANGING over?  

Okay, I'll stop!


People went all out for the "picnic" basket contest.  There were some really cute ideas,
and then some downright full table settings complete with charger plates and full china sets.  

Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas concert without an appearance from Santa!

And it wouldn't be a Christmas on GUAM - without a carabao!

In the evening, we went to the Festival of Lights at Harvest.

Lots of HANGING lights - I can't imagine how long it took to decorate the campus.  (A LONG TIME) but it was beautiful.  It's secretly how I wish my own yard looked....(well, it's not a secret since I just put it on a blog)   But I don't think it's possible to have "too many Christmas lights"  -  really, I don't.

Merry Christmas everyone!

December 1st 2012 - JOY

Welcome to December Daily.

A daily recap to remember our life "as it is" during the Christmas season each year.

This year, I am taking the photo challenge from "One Story Down" 

and doing a photo challenge to capture a certain element each day.

For December 1st - the word was "JOY" 

I snapped this photo of Michael's soccer teammates after their goal at the game tonight.

They were indeed, JOYOUS!

Bringing me joy on this first day of December and advent was getting all the Christmas lights put up outside today.

We turned them on as soon as we got home from the soccer game.

One day, I'll learn how to get that Christmas GLOW from my photos....instead of the BLUR...

I'm told it helps to have a tri-pod, so you don't move the camera while the shutter is sucking up light.

Maybe next year....

one year ago..... click here.

The beginnings of December Daily --- here.