Day 3 Vacation

We headed to Haputo Beach today, which is on the North Navy base. It is 300 feet down to the beach. I'm pretty sure it is 500 feet back up! Olivia weighed 31 pounds going down, but I'm pretty sure she weighed 200 pounds coming up!

A view from the top

Tough ride for Olivia

Lunch on the beach

Hermit crabs like PB&J too!

Finally, back on top!

What's on tap tonight: Two Lover's Point & dinner out

Vacation Day 2

Day 2 was one of flexibility. We were supposed to go diving with a neighbor, but her daughter ended up sick. So, the rest of us headed to Navy. We did a quick pit-stop at the dive shop to sign up for boat dives this weekend. Then, we headed to the beach. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the beach was closed due to bacteria in the water. Plan B: We headed to Fisheye -- a nice, easy dive where Grandma & Olivia & Katelee could watch as Grandpa, Mark, & Courtney made faces in the window. We'll squeeze a few more dives in this week before hitting the boats. Here are a few pics, but there are plenty more at Taylor Photos (link on right).

Vacation Day 1

Grandma and Grandpa arrived safely yesterday. So, what do you do with Day 1? Considering the jetlag, you have to get some sunlight! Thus, head for the beach! Of course, style is everything, and Olivia has done her job to make sure we are looking good.


Of course, a little time was set aside to spoil the grandkids too. Olivia actually slept until 8:30 this morning (after keeping her up until 8:30 last night). That gave plenty of time to enjoy time out on the porch with Katelee before Olivia woke up and showed off her tricycle skills.

We headed down to Tarague Beach for about an hour. That gave time to get into the ocean, find some shells, and catch some hermit crabs.

The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing while Mark worked. Yes, Mark had to work this weekend. But that is ok. He has the rest of the week off!

Tomorrow? Diving!

They're Heeeeere

Grandma and Grandpa Mitchell arrived on island tonight. They will be here the next 2 weeks. Look for more pictures from the next two weeks!

Happy Birthday to Courtney

Well, Courtney turned 26 (again) this year. She opted to dress up in a Playboy outfit and paint the town red (picture below). Of course, she'll deny it, and just tell you some story, like . . .


It was a pretty casual day on Friday. She was able to be surprised with a new addition to her Willow Tree Angels collection. She added "Angel's Embrace." Since we still had a ton of food and sweets from Easter and Mark's birthday and a going away party, she opted for no cake. But, she enjoyed a nice lunch with Mark and the girls. Then, we all went to Bamboo Willies, a restaurant by the beach for dinner. She was able to slip away that night with the girls for a movie night. Pride and Prejudice!

Mark and Courtney are planning a night out to celebrate her birthday later this week. Grandma and Grandpa are visiting and will be babysitting! Yeah!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COURTNEY

Snake Phobia?

2008 mar 048, originally uploaded by counsel14.

Evidently, our girl is not afraid of snakes. The kids took a field trip to the USDA this afternoon to look at the trapped snakes. Olivia was right in there, petting the snakes. Go figure.

Happy Easter

We woke up at 5 a.m. this morning to make it to the Sunrise Service at 6 a.m. Courtney had to remind me why we wake up that early. Pure craziness. Nonetheless, the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean is nice. Olivia wore her pretty new dress (DRESS B from the post below) and her styling sun glasses. After the service, we enjoyed a light breakfast before coming home.

Then we had time to find what the Easter Bunny had left the girls. Olivia searched through the house for the eggs and her basket, which was hidden under her bed-along with a little bunny doll house.

We hung out for a while longer, eating chocolate, before heading back to the church for a Children's Message and Easter egg hunt. There were about 100 kids, which meant each kid could collect only 12 eggs (yes that makes 1200 total) during the hunt. I use the term "hunt" very loosely here. It would be like "hunting" snow at the North Pole. The ground was covered. Olivia, even in her sleep deprived and sugar-shocked state, managed to find 4 eggs.

After "the hunt," we went back home and took some well-deserved naps. Courtney has been busy making deviled eggs and Grandma's white coconut cake. We are heading to a friend's house tonight for a dinner party. Mark has been busy watching March Madness basketball games. Olivia has been busy eating more chocolate. Katelee has been busy sleeping.

Happy Easter!

Birthday Activities

A neighbor and Mark shared Saturday as their birthdays. However, they chose to celebrate in vastly different ways.

The neighbor's idea of a good birthday celebration included waking early, running 4 miles, biking 44 miles, enjoying brunch with friends, and then swimming 4 miles.

Mark's plan: Brunch sounded good.

Actually, we woke up early and did an Easter egg hunt at the neighbor's house (yes, the same neighbor who did all that physical activity also had time to hide eggs in the morning!).

Then, we were visited by the Guam Birthday Monitor Lizard. He didn't bring any gifts though.

Saturday afternoon, we headed to Tarza water park. It is a local water park with several slides and a lazy river. We arrived around 2:00, and the park closes at 4:00. That was just about the right amount of time though. We "convinced" (made) Olivia go down the slides a couple times, but she mainly wanted to circle the Lazy River over and over and over. We all had a good time though.

Then, that evening, Courtney arranged for a babysitter to watch Olivia while we went out to dinner. We enjoyed a good steak at Ruby Tuesdays, a decadent chocolate cake dessert, and a two-scoop ice cream birthday surprise. We made it back around 10, which was good since we had sunrise service the next day.

Flashback to November 2007

We are still unpacking in our new house, and we found these in the office the other day. They are the professional shots taken right before leaving the hospital. Katelee would have been about 2 weeks old. I think she has gained a little weight since then!

Courtney's Great Adventure

It is another peaceful day in Guam. The sun is shining and the wind is gently blowing. Courtney is pushing Olivia on the swing as Katelee rests and Mark piddles inside. Then, as Courtney examines some Gecko eggs in the palm tree, something brushes her shoulder as it falls to the earth. Screeching, she runs to the house as quickly as possible. Oh yeah, she needs to get Olivia. She calmly grabs Olivia while the unwelcomed visitor heads toward the swing set. She makes it inside to stutter, "snake . . . fell . . . on me."

By the time we made it back outside, the brown tree snake had found a nice hiding place in the kids' fort. Mark managed to coax it out with a broom handle, and then decapitate it with a shovel. The body will continue to move for quite a while after the head is removed, so Olivia kept thinking it was still alive. She did finally touch it though.

Trying to keep Olivia from having a snake phobia
(Ophidiophobia)

Easter Dress Contest

Courtney visited the store today to find Easter dresses for the girls. Courtney's mantra of shopping is "it can be returned." For guys, to return a product is to say, "I made a mistake when I bought this. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." Thus, if purchased, you gotta live with it. Nonetheless, Courtney found two dresses for each of the girls, and being unable to decide which she liked the best, bought all of them. After all, they can be returned.

So, help us decide the best dress for Easter. Dress A versus Dress B? Vote to the right.

DRESS A

DRESS B

Kites

What do you do when everyone is sick in the house? Go see some kites! We packed up and tried to get a little sunshine on us today. Katelee woke up barking like a seal this morning. She has a pathetic cry today, sounding like a sick kitten. We are pretty sure the congestion bug got her. Olivia caught it also (and may have originated it all), and she saw the doctor yesterday for some comfort medicine. Mark continues to cough up his lungs and is living on Vick's 44 cough syrup. Grandma Donner believes we have poor immune systems and threatens to send Ozark dirt our way to build them up. For whatever reason, Guam seems to breed cold and flu. Many people get sick here who don't deal with illness elsewhere. Warm climate? Lots of contact with others in outside activities? Who knows?


We did enjoy a kite festival today though. The Make A Wish Foundation sponsored it: http://www.guamwish.org/. We saw lots of cool kites -- Finding Nemo, Dragon, Octopus, Eagles, Rainbows, Gecko, etc. We lasted about an hour before the Olivia crashed. It was good to get out for a bit though. More pics can be seen by clicking the Taylor Photos link on the right.

Guam Ready

mar 2008 042, originally uploaded by counsel14.

Olivia is quite proud of her new hat!

Little Women

mar 2008 023, originally uploaded by counsel14.

Again?

Thomas Fuller said “Health is not valued till sickness comes.” Well, by now, I think we are valuing health! Courtney went to the doctor earlier this week because she has strep throat. Olivia is doing well except a runny nose. And Mark is battling something (probably Courtney's strep). Katelee is doing well though! In fact, here are the latest pictures of her. Enjoy!

All 12 pounds of Katelee

My Elvis Smile

Life in Guam

Mark is back in Guam, adjusting to the jetlag once again. The conference in San Antonio was good, and he was able to hook up with some old friends while there.

Meanwhile, back in Guam . . .

Olivia spends most of her afternoons flirting with her friend, Nolan.

And Katelee gets passed around to all who want to hold her.