Dirty 30s

Well, Mark's birthday has come and gone, and 35 really isn't too bad. It actually has its benefits in the Air Force. I don't have to do as many sit ups, push ups, or run as fast for the fitness test! Yeah! Courtney made a wonderful German Chocolate cake, which I ate 1/4 of in one sitting!



Now, we will celebrate Courtney's birthday next week as she turns 30. I don't think she is too upset over this, especially since she still looks 25!



We will celebrate this weekend with a boat dive. We'll try to take some good pics for you. Until then, enjoy these:

Time for some more pics

More pics

Remember Fish Eye? It's the place where you can go down into a building below the water and watch the fish and divers. It is also the place where Courtney, Wade, and Mark did a night dive. It is also the place where Courtney and Wade got to show off their diving skills to Olivia and Gerri, which were caught on camera.

Let the Pictures Begin

Ok, I thought I'd start putting up some of the pictures from Vacation Days. Enjoy!

Vacation Day #12 -- Last Day

Vacation Day #12: Thursday

I'm sure you noticed the theme here -- Mark worked.

The others? They were able to get down to Tarague beach one more time and play in the waves. Thursday night was a going away party of sorts -- burger burn! We fired up the the grill and made hamburgers and hot dogs. Many friends came by and brought other goodies. Gerri and Courtney got a lesson in how to make lumpia by Maria Cruz.

Unfortunately, the plane departed at 4:30 a.m. on Friday, which means arriving at the airport at 2:30. The great debate was whether to sleep a bit before leaving. We did, and Courtney drove her parents to the airport early, early, early for their 28 hour ride back.

The 28 hours did include a 12 hour layover in Japan though, and they bravely went into Tokyo to see the sights before hopping back on the plane. They safely arrived back in Springfield at 9:00 p.m on Friday (you lose a day flying back).

And that concludes the Vacation. Now, as soon as the pics start rolling in, we'll start posting them.

Vacation Day #11

Vacation Day #11: Wednesday.

Mark worked (notice a theme here?).

Gerri stayed home and watched Olivia and made some great cookies. From what Olivia had to say during her bath, they went for a walk to the slides and played games.

Wade and Courtney managed to get their last dives in for their Advanced Scuba Diving certification. They went to a place called Turtle Rock. From what I heard, it was a little rough. From what I remember, it is a long walk in knee deep water before diving down. It is a tough one.

Mark met up with everyone for dinner at Burger King, but it was close to Olivia's bedtime. So, Mark went home and gave Olivia a bath and put her down. The others were going to go up the road for Greek, but that trip may have turned into another run to Chamorron village. Not sure.

Vacation Day #10

Vacation Day #10: Tuesday

Mark had a fun day of teaching all day at work. The others? Well, they managed to get down to Fish Eye to scuba dive and watch scuba diving. Gerri and Olivia went down into Fish Eye (an underwater observatory) and watch Courtney and Wade scuba dive! They were able to do flips and play with the fish right in front of a window. Olivia also enjoyed the big winding stairs leading down the tower. A princess in the making?

Gerri and Courtney finished the evening with a Medical Spouses Social. Fortunately, they were kind enough to bring back some of the coconut candy served. Mmmmmmm.

Of course, there were some great pictures taken, but they are on Gerri's camera. So, we'll have to wait until they get downloaded to post them. Patience.

Vacation Day #9

Vacation Day #9: Monday

Well, Mark is back to work. All others are playing.

The morning started with a trip to the dive shop for everyone (except Mark) to pick up a few supplies. Then, the crew visited Underwater World to see fish and sharks and starfish and seahorses, etc. They made it back by noon to let Olivia nap, and then it was back to the ocean -- Ritidian Point. They had a good time watching the larger waves hit the beach.

The day concluded with a trip to Chuck's for a birthday dinner. It turns out that Chuck's is owned by a man from Neosho, MO and friends with a couple who Wade & Gerri know. Although the owner wasn't there, we learned who owned it and confirmed our suspicions that we were at the right restaurant. Small world, eh?

Vacation Day #8

Vacation Day #8: Sunday
The day began with church for everyone followed by a good meal at the dining hall. Then, the rest of the day was for diving for Courtney, Wade, and Mark. Gerri stayed back at home with Olivia and relaxed. Olivia got a good nap and a good walk.

The dive was a boat dive at Barracuda Rock first, which was also a drift dive. We dropped down and let the current take us. There are lots of large boulders with fun critters underneath them. The highlight of the dive was seeing two sharks! The water was crystal clear and it was a great dive.

The second dive was at CB Junkyard. The visibility dropped significantly, which helps explain how we lost Courtney momentarily. Oops. The site has a lot of bulldozers and pipes and junk to see.

After diving, we grabbed a pizza at K-Mart and headed home to show off the shells Courtney found and to bandage Mark's hand he sliced on a bulldozer.

Info about the dive sites can be found here.

No pictures yet, but we'll get some soon.

Vacation Day #7

Vacation Day #7: Saturday
The day began early -- up by 0600 and out the door by 0730. This was in an attempt to make it to the Jungle Cruise in time for its 0900 sail time. We made it and hopped on a small platoon. We were whisked away to a small Chamorron courtyard and cave, and we watched a lady make baskets out of coconut tree branches. A man also made fire by rubbing sticks together. After that, we hopped back on the boat and headed up the river through the jungle. We learned about different trees and animals of Guam. When we finished, we headed on around the island to Gef Pago -- an old city that maintains the traditional customs. So, we watched as Courtney was trained on how to husk a coconut and drink its juice. Finally, we found a place to eat before heading onto Navy for some snorkeling. While Mark and Olivia played on the beach, Courtney, Wade, and even Gerri donned the mask and snorkels and headed for the reef. We concluded the day with a good Mexican meal and heading home. Tomorrow should be another busy day with church and more scuba diving. Unfortunately, Courtney's camera batteries died, so we only snagged this one picture on our camera. Wade & Gerri have some good ones we'll have to add later.

Vacation Day #6

Vacation Day #6: Friday

Well, Mark had the day off again, but he actually had to go into work for a couple of hours. By the time he made it home for lunch, Olivia was down for a nap, and everyone else was ready to hit the mall for a quick assessment of the shopping possibilities. They returned relatively early and a bit disappointed -- Guam shopping is not cheap. All went out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Most of us got the usual, but Wade went wild and accepted the waitress' suggestion to try the fried Talapia. It came out as a whole fish with some time of sauce on it. Once he got past the looks and a few bones, the taste was actually good! And then, we needed some ice cream to wash it all down. So, we headed back to the mall for some Cold Stone Creamery ice cream and a ride on the merry-go-round. Day six, done.

Vacation Day #5

Day #5: Thursday

Mark took the day off to enjoy some vacation time too. Unfortunately, he is sick! But, that didn't stop him from playing the travel guide. The crew loaded into the truck and headed south -- all the way around the island. We stopped at Jeff's Pirate Cove for some lunch and play time in the ocean, and then we drove all the way around the island. This was actually the first time Courtney and Mark had driven all the way around the island. We remember why now; Miss Olivia gives out about half way through and becomes a toot! But, we were committed, and we saw lots of great sites. Some pics:

Vacation Day #4

Day #4: Wednesday.

Mark worked again today and is sick. Ugh.

As for the others, they enjoyed a day of visiting a local beach. They did get some good pics though. The night was filled with a trip to Chamorra Village. This is a weekly event downtown -- sort of a marketplace with games, rides, and food from the local community.

Vacation Day #3

Day 3: Tuesday
Mark worked
Free loaders had fun.
Courtney and Gerri hit up an Officer Wive's Social tonight.

Vacation Day #2

Day 2: Official holiday -- President's Day. Yeah! The morning was spent lounging, and then we headed down to Tumon Bay for lunch. We ate at a nice Italian restaurant overlooking the ocean. Then, we headed to the dive shop to pick up our gear. Once we had all of our equipment, we all headed to Gun Beach, where we did a deep water dive (100 feet). Once we managed to get back to the beach against the rip current heading out, we drove back home to drop off Olivia and Gerri for bedtime. However, Courtney, Mark, and Wade headed back out to Fisheye to do a night dive. We managed to get in the water a bit after 10:00, and we left the beach after 11:30. So, bedtime actually bled over to Day #3. (See next day for details)

Day 1 Vacation

OK, so it has been a bit (again) since we posted something. Why? Well, Courtney arrived back in Guam, and she brought a present with her -- Strep Throat! She became sick during her final week in MO, and she was able to get some antibiotics before flying home. After surviving the flight back to Guam (barely), the following week was not very productive for either Mark or Courtney. Mark went from bachelorhood back to daddy-status and nurse Nancy. Work has also kept Mark a bit busy.

But, all are well again, and Courtney's parents have just arrived to spend a couple weeks on vacation. We'll try to keep this up to date with our activities, starting today:

After 26 hours of flying (including a 6 hour layover in Japan), Wade & Gerri made it to Guam at 2:00 a.m. Mark volunteered to stay home with Olivia while Courtney picked them up at the airport. Mark fulfilled that duty by going to sleep -- but only after helping to keep Courtney awake until 1:00 a.m.

I think everyone was able to get to sleep about 4:00 last night, and I'm pretty sure Olivia woke them up about 8:00 singing "Jesus Loves Me." The day began with a brunch at a restaurant on base -- Top of the Rock. Then, we took a little drive to the beach to see it. We made it back to the house for Olivia's afternoon nap, and Courtney and Gerri hit the store to stock up on food. Then, all went out for dinner at Bamboo Willie's, a restaurant by the ocean on base. It is now 8:00, and I think Olivia is asleep. I expect Wade & Gerri to follow shortly after her.

Tomorrow, we are planning on doing some scuba diving. Should be fun.

Halfway Through January

Ok, so it is 21 January, and this is our first post of the New Year. This is not a sign of things to come though, hopefully. Why the pause in posts? Well, Courtney and Olivia actually flew back to the States after her grandmother had a stroke. She made it back in time to catch the big ice storm, lose power, and (most importantly) see her grandmother before she died. Visitation was held Friday and the funeral was this weekend. It is a blessing that Courtney was able to be home during this time, and she should return the beginning of February. Hopefully, both her bags will make it this time.

As for the home front in Guam, I have been busy studying for classes I must take for the Air Force. In addition, I kicked off our 8 Habits of a Successful Marriage Workshop, which had strong attendance. And, of course, on top of that, I'm still working.

So, sorry for the delay in this post. Keep checking back though!

Goodbye 2006!

Well, this is the last blog of 2006. What a year! We managed to move half way around the world and settle on the island of Guam. We have seen deer, pigs, spiders, geckos, dogs, and a cat -- and all in our back yard! We have been to the beach, been to the beach, and been to the beach. Mark managed to get certified in Advanced Scuba Diving; Courtney earned her Open Water certification; and the little fish Olivia is, she will be diving before you know it! We have become good at Webcamming, and we just about have everyone trained on the time difference between Missouri and Guam. So, how do you spend the last day of 2006? At the beach, of course!!!

What about 2007? Well, on the horizon we are conducting a Marriage Workshop in January. We have a 2nd Birthday party to throw for Miss Olivia, and we have Courtney's parents visiting in February for 2 weeks. March will add another birthday for Courtney and Mark. April may bring a trip back to the States (Vegas). Australia is looking very tempting, and we may try to get down under. Mark will go up for Major in the Fall. Some dear friends will marry in the Summer/Fall (another trip home?). And in between all of this -- going to the beach, going to the beach, and going to the beach! If 2007 goes as quickly as 2006, fasten your seatbelts!




With much love,

Mark, Courtney, & Olivia

A few Christmas Pics

Well, we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas -- island style. We slept until about 8:00 a.m., and we prepared for Olivia to wake up. While waiting, we decided to go ahead and open some of our gifts. Courtney opened her new camera, and the shots below are courtesy of that new toy. It is small enough for Courtney to enjoy and powerful enough for Mark to steal and dive with it! And then we waited some more. Finally, we headed into Olivia's room about 9:30 to wake her up (since Courtney couldn't wait any longer). On Christmas Eve, Olivia said she did not want Santa to come because he is scary. However, she didn't mind the next day when he brought her a shopping basket full of food. We were able to set up the webcam, and family watched us open gifts. Needless to say, it was fun. We have a few shots to share here, and I'll post the rest on the Yahoo site. Enjoy!

I want to be a Rock Star!

Olivia helping Daddy.



Mark's art collection -- Medvedev.

Cheesy smile!
(Note the scuff under her nose from the face-plant she did into a skateboard)

Courtney's new earrings -- girls love sparklies!

Night Out for the Family

This pic is from the Med Group Christmas party and is the closest thing we have had to a "date night" since we arrived on Guam. What used to be a weekly tradition just got lost for a little while in the transition. Now, though, I have been reminded just how much I like being out and about and alone with my handsome husband...not at all to slight our family time with Liv in tow. It was a fun night to get dolled up and spend time with friends and collegues-thankfully we have a lot who are both. Liv tagged along as far as the provided childcare where she played with other kids, ate pizza and jumped on the beds all night. Needless to say, fun was had by all!

Olivia Versus Santa

The Medical Group had its Children's Christmas Party on the 16th, complete with a visit from Santa, who passed on presents to the children. Evidently, through the eyes of a child, this is the scariest mythical creature known to mankind! There were many unhappy kids who will need therapy later in life due to their near-escape from the clutches of the bearded man.

As for Olivia, she will be included in the therapy group. However, knowing Santa gave her a gift helps ease some of the anxiety. Courtney took her up to see Santa, and she may now have permanent strangulation marks around her neck from Olivia's clutch. Once reaching Santa, Olivia attempted to make Santa disappear by repeating "bye, bye," "bye, bye," "bye, bye." Yet, even in her moment of horror, she was able to say "thank you" after receiving her gift.

After opening her gift, Olivia was able to enjoy other fun party games -- eating, putting rings on the elephant's nose, fishing, bing bag toss, and tossing a balloon into the air. Overall, I believed she had a good time. Enjoy the pictures.

Rota Walk

Seeing as how it is always hot and humid on our island home, Andersen AFB has devised a way to help its families feel a little more inspired during the holiday season by hosting what has become known as Rota Walk. This involves decorating all the houses on Rota Drive extravagantly! Then, at 6:00 p.m., come the masses. They admire all the houses and eat all the goodies passed out at each house (from cookies to hot dogs to roasted marshmellows to doughnuts). At one house, a giant model cargo plane flies over the street and dumps candy midway. They make their way down the street, around the corner, and up the road to the live Nativity scene and choir. This lasts until 8:30, then the street is quiet again.

This is very similar to a wedding. There is a lot of planning and preparation. Lots of money is spent on lights and snow globes and candy canes. A lot of time is spent decorating and making goodies. The big event happens, and then everyone goes home.

As for our home, we managed to get our house outlined, a star put on top of the house, a "tree of lights" from our porch made, the palm tree wrapped, and the trees by the parking lot wrapped. But, the icing on the cake was the "Lucy Stand." Borrowing from the Peanuts, we recreated the Psychiatrist Stand (seen below). It turned out quite well, and everyone enjoyed the Peanuts music playing in the background.

Of course, Olivia enjoyed most of it. She was ready to crash in her bed by 7:00, and she was asleep by 7:30. Enjoy a sampling of pictures below. Of course, more can be seen by clicking on Taylor Photos to the right. Merry Christmas!

Where's the Snow?

Training Olivia in the steps of her father.

The Whole Family is "IN"

Courtney and Friends

A National Lampoon Christmas Vacation -- Island Style

Story Time

Pic of the Day

Mermaid

Humpty Dumpty -- Did you know?

One of Olivia's favorite nursery rhymes is Humpty Dumpty. I've questioned when Humpty turned into an egg, because it doesn't say so in the rhyme. I found this today:

The Myth: Humpty Dumpty was a giant egg.

The Facts: Humpty Dumpty was actually the nickname for a large cannon on the wall of St. Mary’s Church in Colchester, England. During the English Civil War (1642–1649), a shot from an enemy cannon damaged the church wall, causing Humpty Dumpty to fall to the ground. Royal sympathizers (“all the king’s men”) tried to perch Humpty Dumpty on another part of the wall. But since the cannon was so heavy, “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” couldn’t get Humpty back atop the wall.

This was courtesy of Page-A-Day Calanders found at www.pageaday.com.