day 8 of 365

True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
Clarence Darrow

Happy 234th Birthday Marines!

Day 7 of 365

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.
Nathan Hale

Day 6 of 365

A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away.
Bil Keane

Sneak peek of our 2009 family pictures

Although I know that it annoys Ben, I like to have family pictures taken every year. (I love photography and the kids change so much. My MIL calls it making a memory.)

Megan from "A beautiful moment" took our pictures again.
Love this one of Benny and I!

She was a camera hog today :-)

There will be more but this is Megan's sneak peek that she gave us. We will see the rest whenever she is done editing them!

Check out her website at
http://www.abeautifulmoment-bymegan.com/Abeautifulmoment-bymegan.com/Welcome.html

Day 5 of 365

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".
Erma Bombeck

I am going to take McLinky off of here for the time being until we get more people participating. Please just leave a comment with your blog so I can check them out :-) Happy quote hunting!

Friday Flashback

I wanted to do Friday Flashback yesterday but had a pounding headache and couldn't do it so here it is on Saturday!

This was in the late 90's for Halloween. Love my STEELERS!

Go on over to Alicia's at http://minyards7.blogspot.com/ to see more Friday Flashback!

Day 4 of 365

The perfect normal person is rare in our civilization.
Karen Horney

Friday Fill-ins

And...here we go!

1. Plans and schedules seem to fly out the window when you are a Marine Corps wife!

2. I'm happy when things are controlled by God and not me. (He has a much better grasp on what I need!)

3. The last thing I drank was pink lemonade.

4. One of the most valuable things in my life is my family.

5. I like extra cheese and basil on my pizza.

6. Dear November, I love the fall colors, the weather, and I am so thankful that you bring Thanksgiving so we can see family!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Brodi and Colbi so JT & Kelly can go to their MC ball, tomorrow my plans include major league house chores and Sunday, I want to have a wonderful family portrait shoot after church!

day 3 of 365

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey Fierstein

week 7 of 52

******************52 Weeks******************
52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!
*********************
Kendall and I before the Halloween parade
My handsome little cowboy and I.
Go check out Carin at http://wyomingbarnetts.blogspot.com/

Mouse Tails Fieldtrip with St. Anne's

Kendall had such a blast at Mouse Tails.

I think that Isaac will have to stay with someone for the next field trip. He did not have such a great time!

Kendall made a new friend "Sam"
Kendall was absolutely so proud of her St. Anne's shirt and the fact that a lot of her classmates were wearing it too!

Playing with some of her friends from school

One of his happiest moments during the performance!

Day 2 of 365

Life is a long lesson in humility.
James M. Barrie

Day 1 of 365

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.
E. B. White

As I was struggling to find words that would comfort my friend this week, I looked at many quotes on grief. I then started thinking how much I love to read quotes and how sometimes you just need that little bit of umph to get your day started. After a bit more thinking and soul searching, I thought well heck maybe I should post one every day on the blog for a year AND get all my other bloggy friends to join along. Can you imagine how many quotes we will have?! So whether it is your first day on not, join on in the fun! Give us any kind of quotes you want life, love, advice, sorrow, you name it! Please make sure to try to give proper credit to the person that originated the quote! Let me know if Mister Linky works...first time trying him out!

Blog award

This award is from Heather at http://oswaldcuties.blogspot.com/ She has such a beautiful family and fun posts to read!

This award is open for all of the folks that read and follow my blog because you are all icing on my cake! :-)

Groundhog Day

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
Anton Chekhov

Ok,ok so sue me I am having one of those "ground-hog days." I want to preface this post with a little statement....I love staying at home with my kids and I am so thankful that God has put us in the position to be able to afford to do so. I love the fact that I get to install values in them, teach them, and all that comes with being a SAHM. (I am also NOT judging those of you that work part-time full-time or whatever outside of the home!) With that being said, I sometimes just get stuck in a rut & that is how I am feeling now.

I sometimes wonder when did my life turn into waking up, picking up toys, doing dishes, scooping the cat litter, feeding the animals, feeding the kids, changing diapers, laundry, picking up some more toys, doing household errands, paying bills, more laundry, more butt changing, more feeding the kids, putting laundry away....you get the picture?! There are days (like today) that I really miss nursing & the humor that my patients brought into my life.

I think that is what has brought me to this decision that I have been praying about....if I can get this course approved to be paid for by the good ole' Marine Corps, I am going to take a certificate course in Christian Women's Counseling. I am hoping that it will lead to a parttime job that works with our family dynamics but if not then so be it! I hope that I can really use it to help women that are in need both spiritually, mentally, and physically.

When am I going to fit this in....????fortunately it is a self-paced study. There are 30 courses for 15 credits to complete the certificate. I am hoping that with my nursing and psychology degrees/experience that I will do good somewhere.

In the meantime, thanks for listening to me vent about my ground-hog day and

Stay tuned for more news!

M.I.A.

Hey y'all!
We are still alive and kicking in the Beach household but I have been short on time. I have been having a blast readin all of your comments and will find time soon to catch up on everyone's blogs.
Isaac is currently sick again with another ear infection. Unfortunately, since he had his allergic reaction to amoxicillian, we had to get a really yucky antibotic. I am hoping that he will feel better.
The kids have been doing a lot. Friday, we had a field trip with Kendall's class to watch "Mouse Tails" at the local HS. Saturday, we layed low for the day so that we could enjoy the annual fall festival that our neighborhood puts on. There was 2 bouncy houses, a bouncy slide, fire truck, the DARE car, a Halloween parade lead by the Marines carrying colors then trick or treating afterwards. Kendall LOVED it this year. I had so much fun watching her!
We have had a few church activities and school stuff for the kids too.
It was also a trying week with the Huey/Cobra crash in Afghanistan then right after with the Cobra crash in California. We did not personally know anyone that was killed or injured but it really hit the community hard. We have several friends here in Jax that were friends with the pilots. It kind of hits home.
Lastly, our friends who lost their baby during labor.....Baby Joshua went to Jesus after complications but his parents are being so strong and I think that it helps that his heart went to another baby in need. It is such a priviledge to know such strong believers and wonderful people.

Besides that it is ball season and starting to get into all of the holiday parties so I might be M.I.A. once in awhile.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Prayer requests

O God guide us through the dark places in life.Grant that we may not fear the loss of thee knowing that you are always by our side, and that life will renew itself in us if we give it time and are willing to wait.And as we rise out of the low places through which we sometimes must walk, help us to be thankful for them,because through them and by them we may be able to help someone else through the darkness into light.

I would have posted this request last night but I had a splitting headache that put me in bed. Anyway, friends of ours from church & my husband's squadron, lost their 3rd son during his birth on October 30th. Please keep them in your prayers, especially their other 2 sons who are so young & I am sure confused and hurting right now.

Halloween Teaser