Philippines

... enjoying time with family - will update blog soon!

Mia and Ryland

Last week - Ryland spent the afternoon with us while his mommy (Amy) went to PT at the Naval Hospital. This is Mia's first little friend (one of the many little "men" in her life) on Guam... and I can really tell that she has a real soft spot for him. We're so happy that Amy was convinced to leave him with us... it did take some arm-twisting!



Follow the photos and see how cute these two are. Mia had a morning nap . . . and right after feeding them lunch Ryland looked very sleepy - so we took the blanket out and hoped for the best! He had to be really tired to sleep through all this... but he did - for over an hour!

My favorite pics are :

- Mia signing "sleepy" & "mommy" to Ryland (who didn't even look for her while away... which I think is amazing - since I have such clingy momma kids!)

- Mia signing "shhhh", pretending to "yawn"... and laughing.

- look how cute their legs are intertwined when Mia decided to lay back down!

Mia finally gave up and walked away to play with her pony... and just hung out and waited for him to wake up! She was very very patient!! The boy can sleep!!!

2009 is starting off GREAT...

. . . 10 more days until we see my parents... the kids are so excited too!!! Thanks to facebook, yahoo & skype we've been able to keep in touch - but there's nothing like a GREAT BIG HUG from the ones that you love!! We'll spend time with them in the Philippines and they will also spend time with us here on GUAM! Together we can all explore the island! FUN!!!!! Yeeaahh!


Here's a picture of my parents with the kiddos over the summer in South Carolina! They spent the entire summer with us... it was fantastic! REAL BONDING!

I had to add this picture someone at Dale's command made in SC... isn't this too funny?

Ready or Not... Here we GROW!!!

My latest Momma Moment caught me off guard. I took the kids (& a friend) with me to GPO (Guam Premier Outlets) to return a pair of shoes that I bought for Morgan. The shoes were too small. As I was talking to the manager of the store, he looks at the pair of church shoes and non-chalantly says, "This is the last size in the boys section... please look in the MENS sizes for a different pair". HOLD ON... did you just say, "MENS DEPARTMENT? You don't understand, this is for my son, he's only 10 years old."

Yes... I had my camera to document my Momma Moment!

Sure enough - we found a nice pair of church shoes in the MEN's department for my 10 year old! When I look at my oldest son - I still see my little boy... crawling and rolling around at the playground. He is quietly and quickly growing into a man... and it's happening all too fast!


Ready or Not... Here we GROW! I can still close my eyes and remember when we took these photos in our kitchen in Virginia. That's the best part about taking photographs and capturing those moments in time... it can just bring you right back there!!!! Then when I open my eyes - I'm catapulted right back into reality and I'm not quite sure how the time passed so quickly! I've said this before - but what a blessing it is to be able to be home and be there to experience my kids rapid growth! The craziest part is that I don't see it happening until I look back at my other pictures and see how much things have changed!

Daniella (17 months), Morgan (4) & Ryan (3)


Daddy Dale & Morgan (4 years old) 2002 in Virginia

* posing with Morgan's 5th grade teacher - Mrs. Santos

We are so proud of you Morgan for growing into a respectful, kind, loving, gentle & honest young man! Congratulations on getting on the Principals List with a 4.0 and above average in your first semester at McCool Elementary (5th grade). We love you so much!!!

Morgan with his classmates in 5th grade

There's NO place like HOME!

The other night when the girls went out... right before chopping our hair off - we stopped into KB Toys to see what they had on sale since the company is going out of business. Everything was 50% off & I found a WIZARD OF OZ costume box. In this box are 3 outfits... Dorothy (and her RED shoes), Glinda the good witch and of course a wicked witch of the east costume in black with green bracelets. Mia LOVES it! Of course I'm not surprised at all that Daniella is enjoying this box of fun!
The costumes are really cheap, there are so many little parts like sleeves that go with this and strands that go with that... plus my little Mia doesn't even know the story of the Wizard of Oz! But the big smile that comes over her face when she opens this box of costumes is indeed priceless!

Living this military life and moving every 3 - 4 years for the last 16 years I have never felt the need to click my heels and want to be anywhere else! Home is where the HEART is and I've enjoyed the places and the people that have blessed our journey through life! As a young family living in Annapolis, one of Dale's commanding officers made a comment to him that has become our MOTTO for LIFE in the Military. She told him to "GROW WHERE YOU'RE PLANTED". That is exactly what we try to do. To appreciate all that is around us and just GROW!

As I look at these goofy pictures of my girls just playing dress up... it makes me think & want to ask - will my girls be like DOROTHY and help others along the way... find a brain, find a heart, find courage... will they recognize the wicked witches and the good-hearted Glinda's who are helpful? For now - they'll just be kids and play dress up and I pray that their YELLOW BRICK road will always lead them HOME!!!

Be THE ONE in 2009

We spent the first day of 2009 as a family - exploring and walking around the 5K loop (3.1 miles) & swimming at the Hotel here at Leo. We really enjoy living up here on the HILLS (Manenggon Hills, Guam). It certainly has it's advantages. It's peaceful and quiet. The kids have a nice group of friends to play with in a safe environment. The area is maintained (yeah, no yardwork) nicely because we are part of a Resort Community with golf fairways as our backyard! Which can be a hazard if there are some bad golfers on the course... but overall - living here has been a GREAT choice for us! Do we miss our spacious 5 bedroom house in SC? YES. Am I happy that we sold it before moving here - ABSOLUTELY! We are together, as a family... and that is truly what is MOST important!


The entrance and security gate to the duplex homes... where we live!

- just up the hill from La Cuesta is the little mini-market that the kids love to go to to get snacks, 50 meter lap pool, Japanese walking pool & another hotel pool... just walking distance from our home.

Mia not fond of the little lizards that crawl around everywhere

... Jeeps, ATV's and mountain bikers love these back trails at Leo

... our view of Tumon from our walk

the hotel/condos, soccer field/running track

halfway around the loop... the sun was very hot today!!!

the last part of the walk is ALL up hill - it's a GREAT workout!

I pray for my neighbors and friends who are not with the ones they love because they are serving in the military. I want to THANK ALL OF THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY and doing their part to serve and protect! I pray for my family & friends who are mourning over the loss of a loved one... diagnosed with an illness... or struggling with something in their lives! I pray that I can be the best wife, mommy, daughter, sister & friend... I pray that I am doing all that I can to teach my children right from wrong and to learn to LOVE others and most importantly to LOVE GOD!

HOLD TIGHT everyone... I believe 2009 will blow right by!!! Take time to enjoy what is MOST important in your lives!!!!! Tell those around you - YOU LOVE THEM... show those around you - YOU LOVE THEM! Uplift and encourage each other and make a difference!! One person at a time...

A COMFORT farewell for 2008!

The thought of 12 adults and 16 kids coming over to a New Years Eve Party in the "wood 'hood" - Lockwood Housing on base... seems just crazy! But the best word to describe the night was COMFORT! Afterall, "good things come in small packages".


The food was good ole North Carolina Comfort food - BBQ turkey pull sandwiches, soda can roasted chicken, salad, bbq mashed potatoes, green beans, homemade hush puppies & rice krispie treats for dessert! YUM YUM YUM!


Nick was CHEF MASTER CHEF and made some slammin' finger-lickin' good food!

Daniella & Bella on the tire swing...

Christina & baby Nyla in her 3rd week on Guam... w/ Amy and her youngest Ryland

Tori, Shell (baby Brady) & Dot 'chillaxin' on the swing

Christina & her sweet Brinley at the park... awesome photo by my sweet Dani

Playing outside on the playground tired out the kids... and the adults! The weather was perfect... with a nice little breeze keeping us cool with the weather still in the mid 70's with the sun going down!

Even being inside the house - it didn't even seem that crowded... because the level of COMFORT was there... everyone was just so happy to be together, socializing & eating good food, playing the Wii & with all the toys (thanks for sharing so nicely Howie!) and celebrating the end of 2008 with our make-shift countdown at some random hour just before we left around 10'ish.

Isabelle & Morgan jumping while playing Wii

sweet little JoJo & Tyler watching the big kids play

look at how high Dani is jumping... uh, Daddy Dale -

your reaction time seems a bit slow!

Mia getting in on the action... YEAH!

Moving every 3 years I've learned that the time goes by so quickly!!! So make the most of the time! I've learned to make friends, you have to be friendly. I've also learned that a house isn't a home unless it's filled with family and friends. Last night was truly a home filled with LOVE!

Tori & Nick... thanks for filling your home with LOVE and making us all feel COMFORT in a place that is so new to most of us! The awesome prayer that brought us all together around the food and reminding us of the blessings of friendships and appreciating the new year to come!

HAPPY NEW YEAR and HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY TORI!

... this is what the kids looked like on the ride home. zzzzzzzzZZZZzzzzz

... and today at 3pm... we watched FOX News bring in the New Year in NYC!

Blessings to you on a year filled with

love, happiness and prosperity in 2009!

Jungle Bells... Christmas on GUAM!

We enjoyed a CHRISTMAS get together with the Gantt family & others that work at the Naval Hospital with Dale. The kids LOVED the playground in the backyard... and getting to know Jessica and Melissa - they all became FAST friends! Ryan enjoyed teaching "bootcamp", and Mia loved spending time with Jessica.

We were entertained by Melissa's version of "Jungle Bells" (instead of Jingle Bells *see words below)... the FRESH salsa was better than fantastic... and the homemade TACOS ("Taco Bell" slip had to be the best!) were a HUGE hit with everyone!!! It truly was a Fiesta Christmas!

The Ramirez & the Gantt kids... enjoying Root Beer Floats... Mia only had ice-cream (yum yum!)

Jungle Bells

Here we are on Guam. Without a hope of snow.

But through the spreading palms. A typhoon sure can blow.

Santa Clause will know, what the tropics will allow.

Instead of riding eight reindeer, he'll ride a carabao.

Chorus:

Ohh, Jungle Bells, coconut shells, sticker burrs all the way.

Oh what fun it is to ride In a two wheeled carabao sleigh.

Jungle Bells, coconut shells, sticker burrs all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a two wheeled carabao sleigh.

Be watchful everyone he'll send a telegram,

That today he'll be on Guam. Sent out by Uncle Sam

Santa will be here to see what you have done

So let's all greet him. Ha! Ha! Ha! And join him in the fun.

Chorus:

Ohh, Jungle Bells, coconut shells, sticker burrs all the way.

Oh what fun it is to ride in a two wheeled carabao sleigh.

Jungle Bells, coconut shells, sticker burrs all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a two wheeled carabao sleigh.

Gantt Family... THANK YOU SO MUCH for opening up your

home to our BIG Family and including us in your holidays!!!

We look forward to our next get together!