SLACKER

Ok so it’s official I’m a slacker. But I would like to say I have an excuse, not a good one but an excuse none the less. I’ve been busy. Still that’s no reason to update my blog. Well in the last week and a half a whole lot of nothing has happened in the Gilbert household. Ok that’s not exactly true. On October 22 we were able to pick up our new dog Dandy. Yes you read that right our new dog. If Corky were alive Dandy probably would have been the death of him. Why you might ask? Well because of all the breeds you can adopt now days we adopted a Queensland Blue Heeler. Yes, the same breed my parents have, the breed Corky use to argue with and lose too. Actually I think Corky would be fine with it, one because he could see how upset our oldest was at losing him and how happy Dandy makes her and two because we adopted her from the pound.

Dandy is a very sweet dog but busy. She has tried to play school with Jessica’s backpack (luckily we rescued it and the Monkey on the front) and she has played house with one of Kristin’s stuffed animals. Unfortunately we had to bury the stuffed animal (Dandy played a little too rough). She’s not to excited about her crate either, which she stays in when we are not home. She needs a lot of training but a good thing is, she’s potty trained and she is very good with both Kristin and Jessica. So far she has been a good dog and we try and keep her busy. Ask me again when the honeymoon period has warn off and we want to change her name to PIMA (Pain In My A--).

Apparently Jessica likes to walk Dandy by her tail.

A New Challenge

Ok, so Chris and I have not worked as much or as often as we should have to teach Kristin to ride her bike. I thought I would try tackling bike riding with Kristin. Something we should have done a few years ago. My principal said that she had a video that helped all three of her children to ride their bikes called “Peddle Magic”. The video claims it can help you teach someone to ride a bike in about 5 minutes. Yeah right, or so I thought. Yesterday evening I took Kristin to AJ High School and their empty parking lot and in about 5 minutes she was riding all over the lot. She was turning and braking and starting all on her own. As a mother I was so proud of her, but I was also petrified that she would wreck and get hurt. I know that eventually that will happen and all kids have to experience scraped knees as well as bumps and bruises, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like it. Anybody have bubble wrap I can borrow?

Congratulations Kristin!!! Daddy, Mommy and Jessica are very proud of you !!!!!

Sea World and San Diego

While in San Diego, over break, we decided to take the kids to Sea World. We hadn’t been there since Kristin was about 18 months so this would be Jessica’s first trip. We had a blast the Shamu show was amazing. It’s amazing how they can get those beautiful, majestic animals to do the tricks they do. I love it there.

I love to watch the faces of my children and the dolphins leap high into the air to the amazement of all. Like in Disneyland, at Sea World I become a child again. I love to experience the wonder and awe of this place.

These are pictures of the kids at the beach. It was funny while we were there a message from Verizon came over many of our parties phones. It said “Welcome to Mexico”. Last time I checked the Naval Air Station at North Island was still in the U.S. Anyway here are some pictures of us at the beach and the USS Abraham Lincoln coming into port.

Home . . .

From vacation. When we last left off Jessica had just turned two. The following day we buried Corky at my parents in Rimrock. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us bury him there.

This is going to be along post. So pull up a chair, grab some popcorn and enjoy the novel .

The following Friday, which would have been October 3, we headed for Chris’s sisters in Hanford, California. On Saturday, along with his mom, Tricia’s mother-in-law, and the kids (hers and ours) we celebrated Tricia’s 34th birthday. I wish I could say I was turning 34. Well I guess I could . . .

On Monday, Tricia’s brother-in-law and his girlfriend arrived from Colorado. You may be asking yourself why am I telling you all this . . . well because Tuesday, October 7 Tricia’s husband, who had been gone for 7 months came home. Darren, or as the kids affectionately call him . . . Uncle Frog, is a pilot for the US Navy and had been on deployment since March of this year. Our family was given the unique opportunity to be apart of his homecoming. The experience of the day was amazing. The emotions and electricity that filled the hanger of the Bounty Hunters was awe inspiring.
To witness the fly over and the anxiousness of the children, wives, mothers, fathers, sister, brothers and girlfriends who waited with baited breath to greet their loved ones is indescribable. There were wives holding newborn babies of husbands whom had not had a chance to meet or hold their new little ones. There was an explosion of happiness as each jet landed and taxied to park. There was excitement as we were released and families were finally able to be reunited and begin or find what normal was again.


The tears flowed freely from loved ones as they greeted these American Heros.

















































Welcome Home Darren!!!


After the fly in we packed the car and headed for San Diego for another amazing day of homecomings. Here at the North Island Naval Station we greeted the USS Abraham Lincoln and the “Dads”. Chris’s dad and Darren’s dad has the opportunity to experience what life is like on an aircraft carrier. For 7 days they joined the Navy. . . well not really. But they did get to cruise from Hawaii to San Diego. That afternoon, Jessica was introduced to the ocean. She was not to sure of the sand or the water at first but soon enough she was ready to go swimming. She even go rolled by a wave and wanted to do it again. This child is going to give me gray hair.

On Thursday, we headed for Sea World. The girls had a great time and by the end of the Shamu show, Kristin no longer wanted to be a baby doctor, now she wants to be a trainer for Shamu or for the Dolphins. She also fell in love with the Manatees. As we went for a walk along the beach that evening, Kristin picked up trash (not that there was much on the beach. This is a Naval base and the beach is kept very clean, not to mention it’s not a public beach) and said to me “Mommy, I don’t want any manatees or other animals to get hurt so I picked it up”.



I will add pictures of San Diego next time and write more of our time there.

Happy Birthday

Today is a special day in the Gilbert house hold. Today our youngest, Jessica, turns 2. Can you believe it she's 2 today. I remember the day she was born. I remember every smell, every sound and every sight.

It's hard to believe that she is 2. My heart is sad because she is no longer a baby but my heart is excited to see what she will become someday.

On Monday we get to see just how big she really is. I'm hoping for 22 pounds and maybe a new tooth (that would make 9). We'll have to wait and see.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl. We all love you very much.

The Loss of a Dear Friend and Family Member

Tonight, Chris and I had to make the very difficult decision to put one of our beloved pets down. On Thursday night, our dog Corky, had been showing signs of being in pain and he was very lethargic so Chris took him into the vet today. The vet informed us that he was in the beginning stages of liver failure and that the only thing we could really do was to take him to an emergency vet for IV, and then an ultrasound to find out what was wrong. Unfortunately with liver failure there is not much you can do other than prolong life. Chris and I were faced with a difficult decision, take him to an emergency vet with no guarantee that anything could be done, or end his suffering. It was very difficult but we chose to end his suffering.

The next step needed to be taken was telling our children that their beloved doggy would not be coming home tonight. As a parent there is no harder thing to do than to break your child’s heart, and tonight we had to do that to Kristin. Luckily, Jessica is too young to really understand what is going on, especially since tonight is her 2nd birthday.

Corky was a kind and gentle dog who loved his girls and protected them. He was a good companion and very loving. Although he had his moments that would try our patience, like eating diapers, or barking when the door bell rang and fighting with Cosomo, he was truely loved by all who knew him.

He was a special friend to Kristin and to Jessica and they will surely miss his antics of waiting under the table for food to drop, and his wagging tail when we came home from school. I will miss the way he would lay his head on my lap at night, when Chris was working, and we would watch TV or how he would lay in Kristin's room and sleep with her to ease her fears.

So long old friend you are loved and deeply missed.

A weekend to relax . . .

This weekend was my time to just relax. I had a class scheduled, on Saturday, but it was canceled. And Chris had taken the kids to Flagstaff to see his parents, so this was my weekend to get grades done, the house cleaned, and just plain relax and enjoy the piece and quiet. Only it didn’t work out that way. Have you ever been in a place that is usually bustling with noise and activity and then suddenly it is quiet and you’re alone? Well I have, and it was this weekend. Guess what . . . I got lonely and bored so I packed up the dogs and hit the road Saturday afternoon. Where did I go you might ask? A spa, a friend’s, maybe even to Flag to be with Chris and the kids? Nope, Nope and Nope, I packed up and headed to Mom and Dad’s place in Rimrock. It was nice to visit with them. Don’t get me wrong I love to go there with my family but it was nice to be “the only child” for the first time in a long time. While there I read, watch a movie, laughed and watched the deer come into feed.

On Sunday the girls and Chris came down, along with Larry and Carole and Mimi Pat for lunch.

While there we talked, ate, watched the deer come in to feed, and took Kristin fishing (Jessica went rock throwing) although Kristin didn’t catch anything, other than a tree, she still had a good time.

Kristin thought it was funny to see Mommy acting like a monkey when I climbed the tree to try and untangle the fishing line. There were a few tense moments when I heard the branch cracking under me that I thought I was going to get a bath in Wet Beaver Creek. Luckily the branch held and I was able to get back down without getting wet.

It was a good relaxing weekend, before a very hectic week of late nights and Parent-Teacher conferences.

Mom, Kristin, Mimi Pat, Dad and Larry relaxing on the deck that Dad is building. (Chris, Jessica and Carole are in the house)