Lillypads...

The sun is finally out. Its been a rather gray, rainy spring into summer season. We took the kids for a small hike yesterday at a local pond. The lillypads were soaking up the sun just as much as we were.

They covered the little pond and were beautiful.

We are coming into our last year on the Cape. I have said to Trav a million times, "There is nothing I will miss about this place"! Funny enough, I feel myself finding things I will miss more and more each day. This last year will be a hurry up and wait game. Wait for the shopping list, wait for word on where we are going. wait for orders to be issued, wait for our moving day, wait for a house, wait for our household goods...wait, wait, wait! I am realizing that for all the bitching and complaining that I have down while living out here...I will miss some things. This lillypad while completely insignificant reminds me that there are some things I am definitely going to miss and to just try and enjoy the small things about Cape Cod that put a smile on my face.

Starfish Flinger...

More inspiration from our Chaplain!

Based on the story by Loren Eisley...

I awoke early, as I often did, just before sunrise to walk by the ocean's edge and greet the new day. As I moved through the misty dawn, I focused on a faint, far away motion. I saw a youth, bending and reaching and flailing arms, dancing on the beach, no doubt in celebration of the perfect day soon to begin.

As I approached, I sadly realized that the youth was not dancing to the bay, but rather bending to sift through the debris left by the night's tide, stopping now and then to pick up a starfish and then standing, to heave it back into the sea. I asked the youth the purpose of the effort. "The tide has washed the starfish onto the beach and they cannot return to the sea by themselves," the youth replied. "When the sun rises, they will die, unless I throw them back to the sea."

As the youth explained, I surveyed the vast expanse of beach, strectching in both directions beyond my sight. Starfish littered the shore in numbers beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the youth's plan became clear to me and I countered, "But there are more starfish on this beach than you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely you cannot expect to make a difference."

The youth paused briefly to consider my words, bent to pick up a starfish and threw it as far as possible. Turning to me he simply said, "I made a difference to that one."

I left the boy and went home, deep in thought of what the boy had said. I returned to the beach and spent the rest of the day helping the boy throw starfish in to the sea.


I have heard this story before and I truly love it. Such a simple, short message that hold profound impact! We can all make a difference in some small way each and every day. Ask yourself each day, "what did I do today"? Did I make a difference? How? You will be better for it and so will the circumstance that is reaping the benefit of your efforts.

Last official day of Kindergarten...

Well, my baby girl is no longer in Kindergarten! She received her certificate of completion from her teacher and is on her way to first grade. I am struggling to wrap my mind around that fact that she is 6 1/2 years old and going into first grade. Time truly does fly by, but it seems to fly by faster when you are watching your children grow. She loves school and everything that goes along with it. She lovers her classmates, her teacher, the school bus, the cafeteria...pretty much everything.

Her teacher hosted a celebratory luncheon in her class after the kids preformed songs they have learned. Trav was able to surprised Taylor and make the luncheon, which made her day! We feasted on food that represented each letter of the alphabet from A-Z.

Tomorrow is the last day of school and we will get our last little tidbit of information that we have been waiting on... who will be her 1st grade teacher.





She is so beautiful....and the light of our lives!!

Flag Day 2011

So I am a little behind with this post but here it is nonetheless...


The celebration of Flag Day has been a tradition for 21 years now at Forestdale. The 3rd grade class host the celebration and provided entertainment in the form of patriotic music. Several local prominent speakers come as well as local troops. The American Legion Post 188 does the color guard as well.

I was this years committee head for decoration for the 3rd grade. Let me say that it was a ton of work, but once I saw the kids in the gym ready to preform their music I was so happy to have done it and proud of the kids.


This year a solider who just recently returned from a tour in Iraq presented the school with a new flag that was flown over Iraq in the back of a Blackhawk helicopter while on a mission to support the global war on terrorism.

I, of course felt very emotional listen to all the guest speakers, soldiers and especially the kids singing. I have such great pride in our service members and my country and am happy that Forestdale School feels the same way.

**Each of the kids stars and stripes shirts had to be hand made. My hands were red and blue for a week!


**The Coast Guard helicopter did a low pass flyover for the kids after their performance. Here are all the kids outside waiting for them!

Patriotism... is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. ~Adlai Stevenson

Daisy Bonfire...

This past Friday was the end of daisy scouting celebration. All the girls and their families were invited down to a local beach here in Sandwich to enjoy a bonfire, smores and music. The leaders hired this awesome young girl to come down and play the Ukulele so the girls could sing campfire songs.

Taylor had a wonderful time with all her friends. I was so happy for her because usually we are dragging her to all of her brothers activities and this time it was all about her. She ate way to many smores and she loved the music. I think I probably loved the music the most though. Vanessa the Ukulele player was really good and she played tons of songs that I loved.






At the end of the night Taylors leaders gave each girl a hooded sweatshirt that they designed with their names embroidered on them.


My girl....She makes me smile!

What made me happy this week...

Here are some shots of things that made me happy or smile this week.



~My Columbine are finally blooming. They only bloom once each year and the blooms last about 10 days. I have waiting all spring to see them.



~I baked a birthday cake for a friend. This cake is 100% Clean and Organic!



~Travi asked to mow the lawn and with only a bit of help from his dad managed to get the entire lawn mowed!



~I can not take much credit for this gorgeous picture. Travi was out in the yard before school and found this leaf dripping with morning dew. He came in and asked me to take this photo. His keen eye and me behind the camera!!



~I ran in a 5K and placed 3rd in the Womens Division. I ran my fastest time for this distance ever at 26:00! I won a medal and $25.00 in prize money.




~“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

Birthday/Memorial Weekend....

Every year we take Travi camping for his birthday. He prefers this to having a party. This year it just worked out that his birthday camping trip would also fall on Memorial Weekend. We decided to try and Cape somewhere close but not actually be on the Cape. We headed to Wompatuck State Park which is about 40 mintues north of here. The park is well known for its biking and hiking trails.

We did tons of riding and hiking. We also managed to do some geocaching and find our 200th cache!! The weather was the best its been in so long I can't even remember.

For his birthday gift Travi wanted a hiking pack with a water bladder inside so he can drink and hike at the same time. So we took him to an REI that was just a bit away from the state park and got him sized up for one. He wore that pack all weekend long. **Take note that he is wearing it in every single picture**

The only downside to this entire weekend were the Ticks. For those who don't know, the ticks in the Northeast are absolutely brutal. Not only are ticks nasty and gross but lucky for us this area has the highest concentration of ticks that carry Lyme Disease in the country. So by the time we got home we were finding ticks all over the dogs and even a few on ourselves. Travi is convinced he has Lyme Disease and Trav is still giving himself "Tick Checks". **Ticks...Reason #1047 that I am ready to leave here.









Just as important as celebrating Travi's birthday was remember why we were given this long weekend. Memorial Day is a time to remember and give thanks for all those who sacrifice for our country. We flew our American flag proudly this weekend in our campsite. It was a constant reminder of our devotion to American, pride in our fellow man and the honor that comes with saying we are citizens of the greatest country on the planet. As I have said before, I am the proud wife of a service member but I am also humbled by the knowledge that families are still separated because their loved ones our currently serving. I also bow my head in honor of those who will never come home to the waiting arms of their family. Thank you....to those who Memorial Day is for!


~Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. ~John Muir