Big Bear Birthday

Since I have a fall birthday Brad and I try to get away for a long weekend and find a place to watch the leaves change. It was a little harder to do this year but we went to Big Bear and enjoyed the cooler temps. We did everything from playing Bingo at the Elks lodge (we were the youngest), to walking around the lake, to going to Oktoberfest, where my parents met us and we ate German food and listend to authentic music. It was a great weekend.

Happy Birthday to Me!

More Pics of OKtoberfest

My new e-mail address has changed yet again, you can now reach us at jmthompson2@roadrunner.com

Anyone who really knows me knows what my number one fear in life is. It isn't heights (although I don't like them), it isn't flying (although I dread it), and it isn't the thought of being dead (even though that thought isn't pleasant either). No my Numero Uno fear in life is...Vomit. Weird, I know that is what you are thinking, you are saying to yourself, "well self I don't particularly like it" but mine goes way beyond that. So what does this have to do with anything and why in the world would I blog about it? Well here is my story...
All you ever needed to know you learned in kindergarten right? Well today I went back as a substitute teacher, my first day alone in a classroom as a substitute teacher. What a better way to start then with sweet innocent little kinderdgartners. So who knew that twenty 5 year old kids could steam roll over me like that? Well they did and it was a nightmare, they look so sweet and have such tiny voices but when your back turns I think there heads spin and the devil himself comes out to play havoc on a poor new sub like me. It was absolute chaos. Have you ever seen Arnold in Kindergarten Cop, that was me. A completely competent adult in the adult world but get me in a K classroom and all of my composure goes right out the window. Oh and to top it all off at the end of the day a little boy gave me the sweetest little grin and then vomitted all over. What was I to do but run for maintenance, crying would come later.
Before today I thought I was a competent adult, clearly capable of teaching 5 year olds, just teach them the alphabet and numbers right? Before moving to Cali I worked for U of South Carolina as an Asst. Registrar, I had huge responsibilites. I dealt with new freshmen and all of the issues that came along with them, including their parents, I dealt with graduating seniors who realized they weren't going to graduate because I saw that they didn't meet the requirements, I dealt with faculty and administration, but nothing could have prepared me for today. Nothing was enough prepartion for twenty 5 year olds.
So my first day a substitue teacher and I learned a valuable lesson, never ever sub for a K class if you don't have children of your own and if you are afraid of vomit. They sense your vulnerability like wild animals and pounce at the first sign of weakness. Today I was their prey and they went home looking sweet again fully satisfied knowing that they had me in their clutches and right where they wanted me.
So now it is time to drink a beer,I know I don't drink but tonight I do, go crawl up in the fetal position, and hide in a closet where 5 year olds are afraid of the dark and won't find me. Except for maybe in my nightmares tonight.

I got this from a friend and I thought I would share it for all of you Mom's.

Before I was a Mom- I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair & my teeth everyday.
Before I was a Mom- I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over my toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisionous. I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom- I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Spit on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom- I never held down a screaming baby so that doctors could do tests..or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom- I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put her down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a mom.
Before I was a Mom- I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom- I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom

More Pics of Route 66

ROUTE 66 ~ Sept. 16th 2006
Dad Brought out the old '55, for a the annual Route 66 Rendezvous. This is one of the biggest car shows in the nation (according to Mom) and the classics were streched out for blocks. Dad's was the only 55 Ford we saw though. We took her out cruising along the designated path and old "Betsy" actually got a few hoots, or maybe that was for Mom.

NASCAR ~ California Speedway


Brad really enjoys Nascar and okay I admit it, I do enjoy a few left hand turns from time to time. My excuse... I have spent a few too many years in the South and I have a touch of redneck in me. We have our favorite drivers his Dale Earnhardt Jr. # 8, who finished 2nd that day, and mine #88 Dale Jarrett, who finished on the lead lap (that is an acomplishment). The good thing is I can yell "Go Dale Go!" without any dirty looks from Brad, now thats bonding.

At the time Brad and I were living in North Carolina in a smalll military town and I was working as a tech for the local veterinary hospital, since we worked 12 hour days we only worked four days a week, Wed's were my day off, Sept 11th 2001 was on a Wed. I had the Today show on and was actually getting ready to bring my cat to the hospitsl for a weigh in (he'd been on a diet) when the 1st plane hit. I at the time didn't realize what was going on. Then a second plane and the magnitude of the situation finally occurred to me. Brad came home form work shortly thereafter to inform me that he was on 24 hour stand by to fight but who exactly he would be defending us from I didn't know. We embraced and then he left again with my mind spinning. Not willing to be left alone I brought my 17inch t.v. to the vet hospital and we all watched and listened in shock and disbelief. That day changed us all, but as the spouse of a Marine it forever changed the way we view the world and our life together. Since 9/11 Brad has been on stand by countless times and has been on two tours to the middle east, the last was an 8 month stint in Afghanistan. His brother was in Fallujah during the collapse.Living on a Marine Base is a constant reminder of 9/11. Just driving to the commissary emblazoned on the back windshield of Marines cars are the names of their friends and comrades that have perished. Ninteen year old kids with widows and year old babies. Lest us not forget 9/11 and those who sadly perished tht day but let us also not forget those who have fought, regardless of ones personal political veiwpoint of the war.

for Katy and Kent :

Happy Wedding Day

Wish we were there to help you celebrate your special day.

May your marriage be full of happiness, laughter,and always love.

Sea World ~ 17th Aug. 2006

I took Sarah and Sadie to Sea World last week for some girl fun! We spent the entire day at the park and still didn't get to see everything. Sadie said her favorite was the rides and getting her souvenier and Sarah said that she enjoyed feeding and petting the dolphins, as well as the Sea Lion and Otter show. I just liked hanging out with the girls.

Discovery Cove, Orlando FL ~ May 27, 2006

Snorkeling with the locals, don't worry no stingers on the rays, some were as big as a car!

What fun we had that day, Discovery Cove is ran by Sea World and is a "theme" park where the main event of the day is a swim with dolphins. Let me tell you I have been to many theme parks and this one far outweighs any other I have been to, sorry Epcot! It is pricey but there are no lines for anything and everything other than souveneirs is included in the price. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, desserts, alcohol, all you can eat or drink and you just walk up. We swam with the dolphins, snorkled with tropical fish and stingrays, floated in the lazy river, and walked through the aviary. Swimming with the dolphins was of course the highlight of my day!

Not My hummingbird!


There have been a lot of hummingbirds to our yard but they all just seem to perch on our fence, I haven't seen them feeding, I am sure they are hungry. So I find the bird feeder admist all the chaos in our garage but no hummingbird food but hummingbird food is just a mixture of sugar water right? So into my pantry I dive. However, I don't keep sugar in the house but aha I do have sweet n low. So I take a little sweet n low, a little water, mix it all up in the feeder and hang it amongst the flowers. Well the hummingbirds have avoided their feeder like it is the plague. I guess not all sweetners are created equal, hey maybe that is what I will try next time or perhaps splenda? hmmm..... Now it is just too easy to buy the hummingbird food.

2nd August 2006

Happy 9th Anniversary! So today is our anniversary, I don't feel nearly old enough to be celebrating my 9th anniversary but sure enough I guess I am! Happy Days!

Okay so I haven't blogged in awhile, sorry Missy, I just don't know where to start. Brad and I made it to So Cal mid-June and we got a house on base. It isn't so bad 3 bedrooms, two baths, and a square of grass in the backyard. We had looked for homes in the area to buy but the area is a little bit "depressed". So here we are, I have finished unpacking and have everything in a spot, though it is sure to move a few more times. Only a few things broke and nothing with any sort of sentimental attachment (I think the movers broke all of those the last time).

Charleston, South Carolina

Cooper River Bridge

Where the first shots of the Civil War were fired

Fort Sumter, South Carolina