Flexibility

So, recently I believe that I am really learning what it means to be flexible..and no I am not talking about this kind(Though that would be pretty sweet)

Nope, instead I'm learning how to be flexible in life. How do I know this? Well, because pretty much all of the plans I have made for the upcoming month, (including Christmas) were smashed to pieces, ground into a fine dust, blown by the wind onto a five lane highway, and run over by several large semi trucks. (Not really of course but this is how it felt) It was humbling to say the least...

Needless to say, this verse from Proverbs came to mind as I was frantically trying to make other arrangements for our family when our other plans fell through:

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his footsteps..

Proverbs 16:9

My conclusion: though it's always a hard lesson to learn, I am beginning to understand that things on this earth are fleeting, and you can't put your hope or trust in anything in this world!

Thanksgiving 09!

So, it's been awhile since I have posted anything so I thought I'd start again with some pics from Thanksgiving! This year Doug was gone for Thanksgiving (2nd year in a row..boo!) and so some friends and I decided to have a "single ladies Thanksgiving" since their husbands are also deployed for the holiday. We had a great time cooking and eating..and of course eating some more...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I'm a student!.......Again!

I am happy to announce that I have officially enrolled in my first MBA class through Columbia College! In case you are wondering where the heck Columbia College is, it's a small university in Missouri -but they are really great about working with the military and have tons of online classes to help men and women in the armed forces get their degrees. So, anyway, I am super pumped to be going back to school! ( I may even have to make a trip to Office Max for school supplies- I wonder if they still sell Lisa Frank folders?...)
Anyway, one more piece of good news to add to all of this..half of my tuition will be paid by the government. There is currently money being offered for military spouses to go back and get their degrees. So, if you are the spouse of someone currently serving our country in the military I encourage you to check the program out..Here's the website...

https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx
Anyway, that's all I have for now..=)

Happy Driftwood Day!

Today my friend Christi and I decided to attend the 4th annual Driftwood Day here in Oak Harbor. I really had no idea what a "Driftwood Day" was but decided it obviously had something to do with driftwood and that perhaps it was some sort of arts and crafts festival. I was all set to buy everyone Christmas gifts made out of driftwood - you know things like driftwood toothpicks, driftwood calendars etc- However, as we approached Windjammer Park we were surprised to see that it was not in fact, a arts and crafts festival, but actually a contest to see who could build the coolest buildings out of driftwood found on the beach. The entries were pretty neat and I have to give props to everyone who took time out of their day to participate in this event. Anyway, if you are interested in attending next year here's some info I found from a website about the event:

All are invited to the 4th Annual Driftwood Day on September 19th.

No implements or material may be brought with you, only what is found at the beach that day can be used. No kill level, no age level...just have fun! Trophies will be awarded. Bring a lunch, rain or shine...it's Whidbey Island.
http://www.americantowns.com/wa/oakharbor/events/driftwood-day

So , anyway that about sums it up. I think I'm gonna build something next year. I mean, after all according to this website, there are no kill levels. Which is good..my kill levels have always gotten me into trouble.

Happy Driftwood Day everyone!

A Step Back...

So, recently I heard a rumor that two more restaurant chains have closed on the Island- Mitzels and the Quiznos. Needless, to say I feel kind of like Oak Harbor is actually taking steps backward when it comes to civilization. I guess I can't really complain that much mainly because I never frequented these places , but I write this blog on principle. I mean, this town has over 20,000 people in it and we are at least 50 minutes away from the nearest "city". You'd think we could enjoy a few luxuries out here! All I can say is they better be building an IHOP where the Mitzels use to be....

10 Things I Am Grateful For......

Recently, I have noticed how much in life I have taken for granted. I think I spend way too much time complaining and not enough time being thankful for all that I have! So..here's just a few things that I am very thankful for in my life....

1) The Lord- each day He truly amazes me and blesses me. I am so grateful for His grace and love.....

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting!"

2) My sweet husband- what a gift from God...=)

3) New Friends!

4) The Navy...I know, I know this one is probably surprising to many...but despite all my complaining the Navy has given us job security in an economy where many people are losing their jobs and I am VERY thankful for that!

5) Being an American- I know this is probably pretty cliche but I am proud of our country and I do believe that we are a nation of great people..

6) Things that make me laugh....I am so grateful for people, T.V. shows, really anything that makes me chuckle..

7) Pumpkin, our crazy cat. He's actually more dog than cat. He has been a great companion for me especially when Doug's gone. I think the Lord knew we needed him....

8) Adventure- God has given me so many opportunities to travel, see new people, and new places..I am so grateful for all of these experiences!

9) Challenges- God has really pushed both Doug and I in new directions these past couple of years...Though some of these challenges have been painful, I have learned so much and grown a ton! I am thankful that God loves me enough to not let me be comfortable!

10) Life! God has given us life and there is so much to do both here in this world and the next..I look forward to it all =)

Anyway, like I said..these are just a few of the things in my life I have to be thankful for! I am truly very blessed....

2 Years Ago.....

I was getting married to my amazing, sweet, best friend..I feel so blessed and thankful for the past couple of years and look forward to all that the Lord has in store for us in the years to come!

Our Anniversary Weekend...(and Vampires)

This weekend Doug and I got to take a little time out to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary. We opted to stay overnight near the town of Port Angeles, WA in a cute little bed and breakfast..and it was amazing! The B&B was so cute and it was surrounded by beautiful gardens overlooking the ocean...

Here's the front of the B&B...

The gardens in the back of the B&B..you can't really see it in this picture but either side of this lawn was filled with tons of flowers and straight back is a cliff that overlooks the Sound...so Cool!

Doug and I also got to spend some time in the town of Port Angeles..Now for all of you "Twilight" fans out there you may recognize this town as the setting for some of the books......Needless, to say Port Angeles has completely tried to cash in on this vampire thing with Twilight gift shops etc. Even the Italian restaurant "Bella Italiano" where some of the characters eat in the book is impossible to get a reservation at...

The most amazing part of the trip though was we got to hike in the Olympic National Forest. So cool...I think everyone should do it whether or not they live in the Pacific Northwest.....

The mountains look like they are part of the Swiss Alps or something. I really felt like I was in the Sound of Music and several times I caught myself twirling and singing...All I needed was 7 children and some nuns....

Overall, it was a great trip complete with vampires and beautiful scenery...It was a great way to celebrate our anniversary!

O' Canada

As many of you probably know, Doug and I live about an hour from the U.S./Canadian border. It's so weird living this far north and even weirder to be living near the Canadian border because most of my life I've lived near the U.S./Mexico border. Anyway, I have had several opportunities to visit Canada as well as interact with Canadians who travel to the U.S. (surprisingly there are a lot that like to visit Seattle ) and here are some general observations I have made about the country of Canada and it's people thus far:

1) Canadians love to come across the border and shop in the U.S. because of our low low prices...They usually frequent Costco's...you can always tell them apart because they are usually wearing socks with sandals....

2) British love to visit Canada and do cross country trips across Canada during the summer. I have run into many British people and when they find out we are Americans they LOVE to talk to us...However, when we ask them when they plan to visit the U.S. things get eerily quiet.....

3) Canadians feel they have just as much say in U.S. matters as Americans do...I know I watch CBC news...It's almost as if they feel like they are an extension of us...

4) I have never seen maple syrup used in so many ways or in so many products as I have in Canada...Maple lip gloss anyone?

5) Yes, they do love hockey that much.....

These are just a few of my observations on Canada- as much as I make fun of them, I do have to say that the country is beautiful and the people are very friendly...In fact, Doug and I had an awesome time on a recent weekend trip to Victoria.. Hopefully, these pictures from me and Doug' recent weekend trip to Victoria will encourage you to visit and see this country for yourself!

Butchart Gardens in Victoria.....It was so beautiful I highly recommend going if you visit B.C.

More of the gardens....



Doug and I having a proper high noon English tea at Butchart gardens..it was so fun and the food and tea were absolutely amazing!

Outside Parliament...so pretty....


A picture of downtown Victoria from our hotel room....

O' Canada...... you make life interesting....=)

A Proud Wife

Things have been incredibly crazy around here lately since Doug got home so its been kinda hard for me to blog recently. One thing that did take place over the past two weeks though is Doug got his promotion to Lieutenant in the Navy. I am so very proud of him because it has been a long, sometimes difficult journey with his job, but Doug has stayed faithful to what the Lord has given him and has continually had a positive attitude despite some setbacks. Anyway, I thought I'd share some pics of Doug's promotion day here.. The ceremony actually took place in the hangar (in case you're wondering where the heck we are)...

I am so grateful for such a wonderful husband.. and so proud of my Navy man!

Doug's Home!

'Nuff said.... =)

Kim's Field Guide To Staying Busy...

Doug comes home in a little less than a week and I am SO excited! We haven't seen each other in over two months so the anticipation of his return is great. However, the anticipation always seems to peak at least two weeks before he is due home, and with only about 6 days left before his return, I am finding myself to be extremely impatient. Of course, since the last two weeks are always the hardest I am always trying to find things to do to keep myself busy..(which is pretty hard considering I have no job..)
So, I thought I would share what activities I have participated in recently in order to keep myself busy. I hope this helps you in case you ever find yourself anxiously awaiting something and if not, then please feel free to share your secrets of busyness with me..I need all the help I can get.

Sunday, May 17
Went to church
Took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon
Tried on all of the makeup I have ever owned for fun
Washed all of it off
Ran A LOT
Cleaned house

Monday, May 18
Spent all day on Facebook. Read every one's blogs, profiles, and looked at all of their pictures they have ever posted. Waited to do the Bible study for that evening until the afternoon..(not because I am lazy but because I knew earlier last week that I would need something to do on Monday.)
Had dinner with Heather that night -spent 20 minutes making a salad to take..(even though it was one of those salad mixes out of the bag)
Cleaned the house.

Tuesday, May 19
Get cavities filled by my Dentist. (Yes I did say cavities..stupid teeth) Offered to let other people go ahead of me and spent 45 minutes waiting in the waiting room for him to even see me. When dentist suggested follow up appointment, I begged (no really I did) for them to get me in as soon as possible. ( Hey, its another way to eat up time!)
Cleaned the house.

Wednesday, May 20
Watched a lot of TV in the morning. I am really beginning to like all these morning shows. (I learn so much!) Went to the grocery store and wandered around for awhile. Checked out what other people were buying..(hmmm ding dongs) Bought two items I thought I might need eventually. Had Bible study that night and waited to leave for the study until the last possible minute..(it made me feel like I had to rush to be somewhere..very invigorating..turns out I was still early)
Cleaned the house.

Thursday, May 21
Spent all morning posting a blog about how to stay busy to keep myself busy.
Cleaned the house

Man, its amazing how many things one can do to keep oneself occupied. Also, another field guide tip..purchase a TV and a cable package..it will become your best friend...Seriously, I tell all of my secrets to my TV now and weird thing is I think its actually beginning to listen to me ...

But in all seriousness, I do feel blessed to have wonderful friends who call to check up on me and invite me to things, and its been a wonderful opportunity to spend some amazing quality time with the Lord....only 6 days left!

4 Years....

This month marks the 4th anniversary since Douglas and I graduated from college. (Doug from the Naval Academy and me from Texas A&M.) Time flies by so quickly and I can't believe all that has changed in the past 4 years! Since A&M, I have had 3 jobs and lived in 4 different cities. Since the Academy, Doug has completed flight school, received his wings and of course we got married! (Yay!)

Anyway, I decided to share some pics from my time at Texas A&M and Doug's at the Naval Academy. Man, we look so young in all of these!


This is from my Sophomore year at A&M, and these lovely ladies were my roommates for two years during college. (Left to right; Tess, me, Erin, and Jen) We are all still really close and I miss these gals dearly. We had some crazy good times at A&M!

Jen and I during "ring day" at A&M. Basically, like the Academy, we receive our class rings during our Junior year. It's a pretty big deal..Too bad I never wear mine anymore!

My best friend Krystal and I on a camping trip...(This trip was also where she met her husband- who was a roommate of Doug's at the Academy..)

Doug during Plebe Summer in 2004. He's the guy in the middle front of this pic..

Doug in his dorm at the Academy...Don't know what year this picture is from...

Anyway, it was nice to stroll down memory lane. The Lord blessed us so much with our time in college and He has blessed us even more in our life together! It's been a great 4 years and I look forward to making many more memories...

It's The Small Things That Count The Most....

Today started out as any other day until my friend Heather called to see if I wanted to join her in a trip to Bellingham (a small city which is about an hour north of us). I gladly consented and we were on our way. As we drove, it dawned on us that Bellingham has the ONLY Chick-Fil-A in the entire state of Washington. We had to go! ( I know all of you Southerners out there understand why..) Anyway,turns out the store is actually on the Western Washington University campus there in Bellingham and getting to the Chick-Fil-A was a little bit more of a hassle than we originally thought. However, we did make it and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my chicken and waffle fries (with Polynesian and Bar-B-Q sauces of course) To commemorate the occasion, I took a picture of the Chick-Fil-A bag in which our food came:

See we really did go!

As Heather and I were driving, we talked about how Navy life in general has made us more appreciative of the small things in life. I mean before I moved here a trip to Chick-Fil-A, though great, would not have been as appreciated as it is now. I really believe the Lord has been teaching me a lot since I moved to Washington, and I think one of the things He has been showing me the most is how much He truly has blessed me and that I shouldn't take anything in life for granted.

So thank you God for good friends and good chicken!

Also, if you live around here and are dying for some Chick-Fil-A make sure and talk to either Heather or I about how to get to the restaurant in Bellingham. There are some things you need to know to save you some time and energy!

Toto..I don't think we're in Washington anymore.....

That's because Saturday I was in Kentucky! Ok, not really- but I did go to Heather's Kentucky Derby party (one week after the race but she did DVR it!) Anyway, we all came in big hats and cute sundresses, drank mint juleps, played croquet, and of course watched the race.
Katie, Tree, and I pose with our croquet sticks before the big match.. (which actually only lasted about 10 minutes because it was pretty dang cold outside) I had never played croquet before and I have to say I still don't know how to play this game. We tried reading the rules while we played but it didn't really help. I think the real point of this game is to look cute in your hat and all I can say is ...Mission Accomplished.. (Come on don't we look cute? Except for the fact that you can't see our faces)
Don't we look like the Southern Ladies Book Club in this pic? I really feel blessed to have these gals in my life and they have made Washington an enjoyable place to live! By the way, our next book is Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe if you want to read along with us... (Seriously its a book but - I was just kidding about us reading it..=) )

Also, for those of you wondering what Doug and his crew were doing overseas for the Kentucky Derby, below is a pic of the guys at their party..(minus the mint juleps, croquet, the race, and of course sundresses with big hats...) Maybe next year Doug!

What Doug does....

So, it has come to my attention recently that this blog- which is suppose to be about the adventures of Doug and Kim -has really only been about my adventures. Of course there is a logical explanantion for this and that is that Doug is overseas and has no time to report his adventures. Plus, for security reasons he cannot necessarily disclose all of his activities even to me- let alone post a blog about it. So, since I really have no idea what adventures he is partaking in (other than flying a plane- which is pretty exciting in iteself) I have decided to post my ideas of what Doug is possibly doing overseas. Here is what I think Doug has been up to for the past month:
Wine Tasting

Squid Fishing

Vampire Hunting

Ice making

Taxes

Stapling

Air guitar lessons

making hair wreaths..(I am not sure who is donating their hair to this endeavor but it is a noble and worthy cause..)

I hope this answers some of ya'll's questions about Doug's activities while he is overseas. I miss him a lot and can't wait til he comes home!

Baby shower!

Here are some pics from Shelly's baby shower! (Yes I know I am posting this blog really quickly after the shower..but I have no life =) )

Shelly and her cake....Welcome baby Bacon!Here are some of the ladies of Washington State..I say "the ladies" because basically we run this town..In fact, after the shower we had a town meeting ....that's right..we even voted..

Hope, Sarah and Tree- more of the awesome ladies of Washington!

Shelly and Desiree... also awesome ladies..=)
Gift time! This pic is a shout out to the Wernleys...I wonder if they will ever see this? I should let them know I blog....

The hostesses! Me and my friend Anne! I don't know why I am using so many exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a great shower and I had an amazing time hanging out with these amazing gals. Congrats Shelly and Jonathan- can't wait to meet the little one!

It only takes 10 hours..

So, I never realized what a convenience it is to live near an airport until I moved to Washington. It seems that no matter what city in the U.S. I am travelling to it takes me a minimum of 8-10 hours worth of travel to make it anywhere. Today, I came back from a wonderful vacation to Texas and guess how long it took me? That's right..10 hours. I feel like I might as well have travelled by covered wagon (in fact I am pretty sure I could have made it home faster if I had..) I think the lesson to be learned here is I need to channel my Little House on the Prairie skills and learn to endure hardship while I travel..Hey, if Laura Ingalls Wilder can do it and write a book about it- well I guess I can endure too.=)

Ode to Texas

So, I decided to take a break from the wonderful weather of the Pacific Northwest to come hang out with the fam in Texas while Doug is gone. Here are just a few of the things I have missed while living in Oak Harbor...cue sentimental music...

1) MEXICAN FOOD!- Ok, I have had Mexican food in California, New Mexico, Florida, and Arizona and I still think that the Mexican food is the best in Texas. I don't know if they add crack to Pappasitos' fajitas or what but Tex Mex blows all other states attempt at Mexican food away...
2) Warm weather and SUN! Do you know how long its been since I've seen the sun?! (Shout out to all my Washington friends cuz you know what I'm talking about..) I got off the plane in Houston and was blinded by this big, yellow orb in the sky. Then I remembered that there is this thing in nature called "sun". I have missed it dearly.
3) People who wave at you for letting them over while merging in traffic. Thanks Texas for being so polite! (And for driving like crazy...)
and finally.....
4) Not getting crazy looks everytime I say "ya'll". =)

So, in conclusion, I would like to say thanks to the state of Texas for existing. You keep on trucking you wonderful southern state and hopefully someday Doug and I will return (No earlier than 2014..we have a Navy commitment to fulfill after all!)

Pumpkin

As Doug mentioned last night, we do indeed have a cat and he is pretty crazy. Pumpkin's favorite things are 1) people (even those who aren't really very fond of him) 2) his toys 3) any meat in gravy ala Fancy Feast.

Doug pretty much gave you the gist of our crazy cat so I thought I'd share a few pics to let you see just exactly what we mean.

First of all, this is Pumpkin...

and these are Pumpkin's toys.....

I know you are probably wondering why are all of his toys are in his food dish. Well Pumpkin loves to feed and water all of his play things and he will rotate them from food to water daily to make sure they are being properly nourished and hydrated...(and yes Pumpkin considers that balloon that Doug gave me for V-day as one of his toys now...)

We feel very fortunate to have such an awesome, crazy cat and we love him a lot..=

Go Navy!

Doug's First Post

I think it is so perfect that Kim started this blog. This is my first post to our blog. Indeed we have had many adventures. I look forward to many more to come and to sharing them with Kim. When we got married on August 25th, 2007, we left San Antonio and moved to Jacksonville, Florida. After six months we moved to Washington where we have been for a year or at least Kim has. I have been deployed in the Navy at least 60 percent of the time. While it is challenging, we are getting used to it and the Lord is teaching us a lot. Something I'm sure Kim will expound on later, I will mention now - about a year and a half ago while we lived in Jacksonville on Halloween of 2007, we found an orange kitten while sort of I guess trick or treating. Anyway, after many zany adventures, the kitten whom we named pumpkin found our way into our hearts as the coolest pet ever. He is a hybrid animal - he is a dog in a cat's body. He does play cat and mouse but also fetch and tag. The most hilarious thing is that he faithfully feeds and waters all of his play toys and mice after playing very rough with them.

Much more to come on this later I'm sure. From Doug and Kim's zany adventures - first post out!! Yes, and I guess Kim has made me the publicist lol!

And so it begins...

All I can say is..what have I done?!?! I now officially have a blog after I told myself many many times that it was not a good idea. I am wondering how much time this will eat up? I am thinking a lot since it took me over an hour to just get this thing set up. (Who knew there would be so many colors and fonts to choose from?!)
Anyway, I am not really sure what most people say on their first blog entry since I've never done this before...but I suppose I'll start things off by saying; thanks for reading and I hope you will enjoy the blog entries yet to come. And if you don't feel free to talk to Doug about it..he's my new publicist...=)