Story Time!

Wednesday at Sgt. Yano Library they have story time for the kiddos. We gave it a try a while back, but Cody didn't do so well with the sitting and listening to a story. He's been very into books lately though so we gave it another shot yesterday and he was so good. He absolutely loved it. What made him really happy was when he got to check out his own book. He's getting to be such a big boy. We also checked out some Veggie Tales movies and a signing movie. I got a book for myself as well...and since I get it for 3 weeks and can only renew it once, maybe that will give me the kick in the butt I need to actually finish it faster than in like 6 months. :) I love this series though so once I start reading I'll probably be done with it pretty quick.

He's been so into fish lately and was happy to find a book with a fish in it.

Miss Kaitlyn is getting so big. She's growing like a little weed...already been in some 3 month clothes for about a month. She's gonna have Cody beat in no time. She's been smiling, talking (little coos and stuff...so cute), and been trying really hard to laugh. I'll try to get a video of that because it is just too cute.

I just love her Chubby Cheeks! The looks she gives Cody are priceless!

How on earth did both of my kiddos dodge my brown eyes?

This picture made me laugh so hard that I just couldn't pass up putting it on here for you all to see. Cody looks so happy...Kaitlyn on the other hand looks absolutely terrified!

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Welcome Home!

Updating still on what's been up for the past week. Saturday Chris got home for R&R. It was so great to see him...especially to see him with Faith. She definitely adores her daddy. It's adorable.

WELCOME HOME CHRIS!

Flying on the big airplane

Thursday (last week now...lol)morning we went back to McChord to get on a plane headed back to Hickam. This time we actually left. Here are some pics from our trip from Hickam to McChord and from McChord to Hickam.

Cody was very excited to go on the "big airplane!"We Flew on a C17 both ways. The inside of the plane on our flight to WA was pretty much empty other than everyone's luggage. There were only 11 people on the flight so there wasn't much. This is how the luggage was secured during the flight. The seats just folded down from the walls. During the flight we spread out a blanket and took turns napping on the floor. I'm telling ya...this plane was HUGE and empty.
It was also VERY loud. We tried to keep ear plugs in the kid's ears, but it wasn't an easy task. Kaitlyn looked like she had cheetos shoved in her ears and they kept falling out. We ended up having to tape them to her head.

Cody took this one (well pushed the button for me anyway) while we were looing through one of the very few little windows while flying over the Pacific.

When we got on the bus after getting off of the plane in WA Kaitlyn gave me a big smile just as I hit the button...so I was actually able to catch one of her first smiles in action...she had already started to loose her smile when the pic actually took.

Now for the return trip pictures!

Remember how empty I said the flight was on the way to WA...well...it wasn't empty on the way back. It was full. There were about 45 people not including the crew, all of the luggage, plus 6 of those boxes. Crazy thing about those boxes...they are strapped to big metal palets that hook into the floor. The thing I didn't know though was that they are on rollers and MOVE! OK, so they don't move very much, but a couple inches from side to side. You should have seen the look on my face when I saw them all move and make a banging noise when they stopped. I thought they were all gonna call over and squish us all. Jon saw my frightened look and yelled to me that they are supposed to do that.

Since we knew the flight was going to be super loud and knew earplugs weren't much of an option this time, Mom and Dad let us borrow some hearing protection for the kidlets. Kaitlyn looked so cute with her little squished cheeks, and Cody liked his because he could put headphones on underneat them and watch a movie...and actually be able to hear it :)

So this picture totally sucks, but you get the idea of what the plane does. The back of the C17s open up. As soon as we landed back at Hickam they opened the back to prepare to unload everything. It was kinda neat because as we drove all over the airfield we got to see out of the back of the plan. It was a beautiful day to come back on as well. Aloha!

Jamberry!!!

We were supposed to be leaving WA on Wednesday morning, but when we were about to head out to the plane to board...we were told we had to wait because the crew didn't show up. After about 20 minutes or so of waiting on the bus then back in the terminal, our flight was cancled and rescheduled for the next morning. Mom had to drive all the way back to McChord and pay another toll to pick us up since she had made it all the way home after dropping us off. Of course nothing had been planned for that day since we were supposed to be on a plane, but I thought it would be fun to make some blackberry jam. There is an abundance of blackberries around my parent's house (I also made blackberry buckle while we were there) so I went out and picked a bunch shortly after we got home while Jon, Cody, Kaitly, and my mom all napped. :) It had been raining, but it cleared up enough for me to go out and right as I came back in the house it started to pour. It's so easy to make and so delicious...here's how to make it. Hope I get it right since I'm doing it from memory.

Ingredients:

5 cups of mashed berries...I picked about 8 cups

7 cups of sugar

1 packet of pectin

1 tsp. butter

What you'll need to make this yummy jam possible:

7 - 8 jam jars, lids, and rings

food processor or potato masher

small pot

medium pot

canner or large pot (with lid) that you can fit all of your jars in (if using a canner or pot without a jar rack you'll need a dish towel to put in the bottom)

tongs

jar tongs

ladle

spoon

measuring cups

Let's make some jam!

Fill the canner or large pot about 1/2 full with water and put on the stove to boil. It needs to be deep enough so that it will cover the jars 1-2 inches. Cover and let it come to a slow rolling boil...not a rapid boil.

Put the lids in the small pan and put some water in there...then put it on the stove. Let it come to a slow boil.

Measure the 7 cups of sugar into a bowl and set asside.

Berry time! Mash the blackberries 1 cup at a time. I used a food processor, but you can also use a potato masher. Since it's Jam you want pieces of fruit so you want to pulse with food processor a couple times is all. I did it the hard way and put it into a glass bowl then had to measure it...if you have a large measuring cup it's easier to dump it in there as you go so you know how much you still need. Do this until you have 5 cups worth of mashed berries.

This part is really messy! :)Set your Jars up so they are all ready to fill.

After you've got your 5 cups of berries ready put them in to your medium pot and put it on the stove. Stir in the pectin and keep on stirring continuously. Bring to a rolling boil (this a boil that keeps on going even while you're stirring). Stir in the butter. The butter is to keep it from get way to foamy.

As soon as it comes to a rolling boild dump in the sugar and stir it in fast. Stir continuously until it comes to a rolling boil again. Let it boil for 1 minute.

When it's done boiling...take it off of the stove and skim off the foam with a spoon.

Now use your ladle and fill the jars to 1/8 inch from the rim. Once they are all filled wipe any jam off the rims of the jars. Next use the tongs to take the lids out of the water one at a time and place them on the jars. Screw the rings on, but don't make them super tight so you won't be able to get them off later.

Once they are all ready put them into the canner or large pot. You don't want the jars to be touching the actual bottom of the pot. If you don't have a jar rack just used a folded dish towel and push it down on the bottom with your tongs. Use jar tongs to put them in the canner. I'm sure regular ones will work but tongs made for jars is easier. Be sure not to tip the jars while putting them in or taking them out. Let the water come to a gentle rolling boil again and let them sit in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
Lay a towel out on the counter or table. Take the jars out and let them sit for 24 hours before using them or storing them. The lids will seal as they begin to cool. Make sure the lids have properly sealed by pushing down in the middle of the lid...if it makes a clicking sound and pushed in...it's not sealed properly...the jam is still just fine though so just use this jar first and stick it in the fridge. The jam can be stored for up to a year unopened and 3 months in the fridge opened.

There you have it...yummy blackberry jam. Sorry the pics sucked and that I didn't have pics of all the steps, the good camera was still packed in the truck from our first attempt to fly and I didn't alway shave an extra hand to take a pic. We opened a jar when we got back the other day and it is so good. I'm so proud of myself for making such good jam.

Holly Salmon!

Well...the guys are back and they came in with a HUGE salmon. It was on dad's line and Jon reeled it in. It's about 18 1/2 lbs. Pretty dang good. It's longer than Cody is tall...I tried getting a pic of him next to it just to show you all how big this thing really is, but he was not wanting to have anything to do with that picture. :) I can't wait to smoke some of the salmon tomorrow.

Good Job Guys!

Washington...oh how I missed it here!

Yeah...yeah...yeah! I know I totally slacked off and didn't even come close to updating this thing, but here is a start. A lot has happened since the blog was started. Cody got his cast off and his thumb is looking great, little miss Kaitly Elisabeth was born on June 17th at 11:29 am. She was 7 lbs. 15 oz. and 21 1/2 inches. She is absolutely beautiful. And now...we're in Washington. We've been here since July 28th and have been having a great time. Now we're just trying to get back to Hawaii which is proving to be very difficult. Anyway...just wanted to share some of our Washington experience with you all.

First off...since she hasn't been introduces here yet...this is Kaitlyn. A little bigger now than 2 months ago (yes...she was 2 months old yesterday, time sure does fly).

This is one of the things that really makes me miss living in Washington...the views of Mt. Rainier are incredible.

Cody and Jon have been having a lot of fun going out on my parent's boat while we've been back. Cody loves playing with the rocks at the beach when the boat is being launched. The beach here is very different than the beach he's used on in Hawaii.


This picture totally sucks, but I love it because you can tell both my boys are having a blast being out on the water. :) I love them! Cody keeps telling us that he wants to live here with his boat.


I just love taking pics of Cody...he's such a fun little boy and has been having so much fun being back in WA. I've got way too many pics of him to put up here...it's hard to choose what ones to share.


At Sportco they had a fishing pond for the little kids to catch a couple fish. Cody loved holding the pole and was excited when he caught a fish...he was not so happy when the fish came out of the water. He freaked out. This was one of his fish...and you can see just how happy he was to see it out of the water. :)


I've got more pics to share but they are on Jon's laptop not the desktop here at my parent's house.

Jon just called and said they just caught a huge Salmon...I can't wait to eat some fish tonight...YUMMY!!!