House for Rent in Kaneohe, Hawaii

Our renters are moving out after Christmas, so our beautiful Kaneohe home will be available January 1st!

If you know anyone who is heading that way soon or are there and looking, please help spread the word!

http://www.militarybyowner.com/homes/HI/Kaneohe/Lehuuila_St/MBO229873.aspx

Sweet 16!

Today  is Kenzie's 16th birthday.

As I'm typing this I am still in complete denial that... A) I am a mother of a teenager, although I'm noticing I've starting getting a few grey hairs to prove that.... and B) That she is, in fact, (pause) 16.

Now, most 16 year olds would be waking up to skip school and get their drivers license.  However, due to our untimely move from VA to NC this past summer and the discrepancies in driving laws, our daughter 'got the shaft' there... so she has been patiently waiting for a drivers ed class that has not been filled up since last year to open up.

Lucky for her, I was able to get her in the December class when they announced the class dates back in the fall on the first day of school.

So, if you would all like to pray for us the first week of December.... and every day after! Thank you.

Knowing I wouldn't get up early enough to bake monkey bread, I decided to make one last night so it would be ready for Kenzie to grab as she makes her usual rush from her bedroom to the front door to catch her ride to school.  (she uses every last milisecond to get ready for school)

Monkey Bread with Pink Glaze

So then, late last night, after my then 15 year old went to bed, I stayed up late blowing up balloons secretly in my newly organized master closet as to not wake up the children AND to hide from the bulldog also known as Lilly, who would most likely cancel out all my attempts at inflating any and all balloons.

Carrying each balloon by hand to the hallway (by fours), while closing each door behind me so no dogs would follow, I successfully executed a Pinterest idea... a balloon attack with McKenzie's bedroom door.

I set my alarm for 0630 so that I would be up and ready with camera in hand to record the whole thing... when she emerges from her room at 0649. However this morning, I was awakened at 0615 by a loud "Oooohhhhhhh!!"

I ran into the hallway to find balloons floating all around McKenzie, standing in her doorway, laughing.  "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"  Her response... "I almost peed my pants!"

#SUCCESS #WISHIGOTTHATONVIDEO

While she was at school, Tyler and I picked up even more balloons, and a few of her favorite things so she would have a surprise when she returned from school.

Tyler, being the sweet talker that he is, managed to also leave with his own balloon in his favorite color.  Look out ladies...

 We tied down candy and fun things to Kenzie balloons while we waited for her cake to bake..

 

Then it was time to decorate the cake... and some cupcakes....

 She arrived home with flowers in hand, and another arrangement waiting for her that had been delivered today.

 

Flowers that Nick had delivered to the school.

He's in the field all week and was bummed he was missing her birthday.

These flowers were sent by Grandma & Grandpa Bob

Kenzie and I went to Wilmington last weekend for some early birthday shopping to get some winter clothes for school.  So today was full of little things that make her happy.  But there was one little thing that I had been waiting a very long time to give her....

This ring was given to me on Valentine's Day just before MY 16th birthday.  And I knew that this was something I would give to her on HER 16th birthday, I just didn't know it was going to be here so quickly.  It's been in it's original box for a really long time.  I figured more than 13 years... so with a quick little cleaning, it looked good as new!  

I wrote in her card where it came from and hope that it will remind her of all the people who love her and care about her... and that we are all cheering her on as she continues to grow and be a good example to everyone around her, including her three little brothers and sisters who are always watching...

Happy 16th Birthday to our beautiful McKenzie!

We Love You!!!

Anybody still out there??

Hello??  Are you still out there?  I thought I'd do a quick test. test. 1. 2. 3. It's been nearly a year since I posted on here last. And I've sprinkled in the posts before that.

With Nick stationed at HMX-1 the past four years, and not being able to post what he was doing or who he was attached to, it kind of made it hard to update on what was going on with lots of things in our life.

But... not that we are settled, somewhat, in North Caronlina, with another (our 4th actually) deployment coming up, I thought it might be a good time to get into this whole Turner Mountain blogging thing again.  I'll share more details about his upcoming deployment soon.

You can fill in the gaps on our facebook pages if it's been a while since your Turner Mountain fix.

Friend Kimberly here.

Friend Nick here.

So... with Thanksgiving coming up, my parents are making a trip down here to spend the holiday with us!  My mom was down here the week we moved in, so I'm hoping she will enjoy the improvements we've made. Which reminds me, I still have a few boxes to put away! lol

Nick's preparing for a week out in the field (brrrrr) and I've got to finish getting the house ready for company next week!

Until next post...