May 19, 2013

Lake Erie Video



I think I might have promised no more missile shot photos but technically this isn't a photo.  This is a great video put together by the civilian technicians who rode the ship last week.  





(The big balloon is used to calibrate the radar.)

Some cool stuff.

  
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May 16, 2013

USS Lake Erie Missile Intercept!


It may be his last underway...but he's going out with a bang :)

Here are some great shots of the latest and greatest successful USS Lake Erie missile intercept



















"Lasts" can be hard, and we are in the midst of quite a few right now.  Jobs, schools and another round of friends moving away.  The good news is, they don't last long.  They are fast replaced by new jobs, new schools and new friends.   



The calendar is an explosion of events right now all designed to celebrate our lasts.  In the next week we have a concert, a banquet, a hail and farewell, an award ceremony, a graduation, and a Change of Command.  
Let the games begin!



May 6, 2013

May Day, Lei Day!



It's that time of year again...Lei Day!








Olivia was again chosen to be a part of the Royal Court.  She was representing the island of Oahu (color yellow) this year.








Although the show is comprised of performances by classes from 4-8, little Miss is in the Hula program which also gets to perform in the show! 












Although Olivia doesn't take hula, the 8th grade boys and girls traditionally learn and perform a hula.  


 

The Lei Day Queen also performs









The Royal Court




The Court Jesters!


May is busy, busy, busy!  End of year activities, graduation celebrations, cheerleading camp, banquets, parties and more!  David will be getting his ship underway for the final time this month.  Although we are looking forward to the next chapter, it's a sobering thought for a man (and his family) whose lives have revolved around being at sea for decades.  

If I had my way, I'd be sitting on the ocean sandbar with my Powerpack gals, waving as he went by.




No, that's not Lake Erie, but it is me with my best pals watching the ships pull in for RIMPAC.  This photo made the official Navy FB page with the caption "look out for the Destroyer kids!"  hehe.   


April 25, 2013

Locked Out!

Well!  You know you haven't been good at keeping up with your blog when...

1.  Your parents kindly remind you it's been a while.

2.  Your children start asking why you haven't posted.

3.  You try to log in and realize Google has locked you out of your account!

Ok, ok.  What have we been up to since Spring Break?  Hang on, I don't remember what I had for breakfast but I'll check my calendar.    



First of all, our favorite mighty warship finally completed INSURV which stands for who knows what, but translates into "mega inspection of every single square inch of that ship to make sure each nut, bolt, computer and engine is running to the same specs as the day it was built."  Yuck right? They spent the better part of the last two years preparing for it (along with all that other Navy stuff they do) and happily passed.  
We have heard from others that "life gets better after INSURV!"  We are believers.  I have seen him more in the last week than the last year.

As for the rest of us...



Little miss 8th grader recently returned from a week long school trip to the Big Island!  I didn't get too many details except "it was good," but she came home hungry and tired so that = good in my book!




They kept them busy from sun up to sun down, hiking, climbing, sketching and bonding!  That's the lava flow at night,  not an out of control bon fire created by teens gone wild :)




Of course they had to do work - science and English never sleep!  The kids had to decorate a sketch book for note taking and such - this is hers.  I thought she did a great job, especially since it had to be done with a particular set of markers - no pencils, crayons or markers from home.  Good old Catholic School rules!






She has a busy month ahead chock full of graduation activities, May Day programs, banquets, awards etc.  It's a fun time for her for sure!


Little Miss Elaborate is still combing the internet to find new ways to torture me.  
  


Hair and nails are still center stage!




I predict next year will be a challenging one for her.  




Big sister changing schools is going to be HUGE - and on top of that - mommy has committed to making her do homework all.by.herself.  Yikes.  Peter Pan isn't going to like this...



As for me, you can see that I too am still all about fashion.  This IS the new trend, you just don't know it yet.  Yes folks, I managed to break my foot (fracture of the 5th metatarsal to be exact).  


This, my unknowing friends, is a bosu ball.  Used at the gym to help you exercise while working your core muscles (for those of you who didn't know you had core muscles, those would be in your mid section...come on folks).  So perhaps if you were jogging on one and your foot slipped off the edge, you might just end up falling on your bahumpkis and breaking your foot. No shame, it happens to the best of us.

Yeah, don't try this at home, or the gym, or anywhere.  

So now I have 6 weeks to contemplate my poor decision making.  While I'm doing that I'm trying to wrap up and turn over the volunteer positions I swore I wouldn't be in this year, avoid new ones (do you hear me PTA...I'm not giving my consent to be nominated for President!), soldier on as chief laundry maid, taxi driver, bill payer, and dinner maker, and prep for a graduation and Change of Command (12 hours apart) all on one foot.

Nothin to it ;)





March 30, 2013

Spring Break

Spring



Break




is




all




about




the




crafts!!!
























We are officially ready for Easter!  




HE IS RISEN




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March 21, 2013

She's an OWL :)






So, the tree and the presents give me away a little...not a recent photo but I wanted to give my favorite teen a shout out for being accepted to her high school of choice!!  She received the letter yesterday and although we had done our best to convince her it was never in doubt, there was a happy sense of relief and joy!  

Can't believe she is going into high school soon, but so proud of the young lady she is and is becoming!  Oh, the school mascot is an owl or "pueo" in Hawaiian.  



To make up for my lack of recent photos, check out this link!



You all know how much I LOVE lava...but these kooks take the cake for daring.  Glad they lived to share these amazing shots with us!






February 25, 2013

Diamond Head Hike


I recieved my Newtown t-shirt in the mail recently and decided it deserved a photo opp on top of Diamond Head!




I grabbed a few willing pals and we had a perfect day




Can you see it?  It's a little like "Wheres Waldo," the Navy version, but I'm pretty sure it's the mighty Lake Erie herself!








Remember all those lovely photos I've shared of the Diamond Head Lighthouse?  Here she is from wayyyyy up!




I honestly don't know how my friend gets anything done at all!  You really never tire of staring out at the ocean.....




Great day, great friends.  Do something kind for someone this week - because you are alive to do so!



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