Leave!!!

So military leave is a funny thing.  You get plenty of it, you just don't get to take it.  When you do...it's usually in the middle of a move (not exactly vacation material) or if you need a Monday and Tuesday off, you submit your leave chit on Friday and get charged for the weekend days as well. Like I said, it's a funny thing.  

No one really cares though, at the end of each fiscal year we all look away from that line on the paycheck that tells you how many days you have "lost" forever.  It's like Monopoly money - you can hoard all the 500's if you want but at the end of the day you aren't any richer!

That being said, my husband has been on leave since the change of command!  No move involved so what's a family to do?  Anything we want!  It's been a fantastic few weeks of family time.   

Some much needed yard work led to this discovery.  One day we noticed two eggs and the next there were three!  

Mama bird doesn't appreciate her photo being taken so we are trying to be patient waiting for our triplets to hatch :)

The girls are still busy with the usual.  Neighborhood play - had to snag a shot of Princess Charm School.  Olivia finished with her local soccer team (winning record for the first time since we moved here) and has started weekly practices with her new school team.  Emily attended a one week soccer camp as well. 

Then we all got sick.  Of course.

Then I got my belated Mother's Day present!  A brand spankin new, not to mention beautiful, paddle board!

Nothing to do but test her out!

We rented an Army beach house for a couple of days and headed to the Waianae coast.

Beautiful place, views, water, relaxation!

Not to mention the sunset!

Of course we paddled and swam.  The next morning as I was having my coffee on the beach I spotted a pod of dolphins.  Snapped a few photos for you good folks, grabbed my board and headed out.  They are such social little guys!

See them on the left?  There were lots...this was stretching the limits of my telephoto lens, I was pretty far out there!

"I'm Queen of the world!"  Now you may all plge your alleegents to me :)

Emily finally got a solo run on the board.  I did figure out that I'm a fairly good paddler - nice and stable, until you put a 50lb wiggle worm on my bow who likes to jump, twist and turn.  Makes for a good workout.

This handsome guy is my nephew Chris, who just graduated from high school last week!  Congratulations Chris...we are very proud of you and the man you have become.  I know you have great successes ahead of you!

K folks, I'm off to enjoy more of this leave stuff ;)