December Photo-A-Day Challenge

I have always seen these "challenges" and I thought doing it in December would be a perfect way to document the days leading up to Christmas.  As of now, I've stuck to this better than I have any workout "challenge" ;) Speaking of...I started Insanity on Wednesday and I am ridiculously sore, so pray for me that I keep it up! I plan on working out this morning before Kyle comes home this afternoon.  I. Can. Do. It!

December 1: View.  I went to Bellows Beach with my friend Mandee and her husband and kids.  I even got to see Kyle! Bellows is also a training area for the Marine Corps, so a lot of the area is gated off.  The beach is only open on weekends to the public and then there is another part of the beach that only people with a government ID can get into...where we went.

  
December 2: Favorite Holiday Movie.  I couldn't pick just one.  These 3 have to my all-time favorites. A Christmas Story has been my favorite ever since I can remember...we would always watch it on TBS when they showed it for 24 hours straight.  My dad is responsible for this favorite. White Christmas is another one of my dad's.  I remember enjoying this movie more and more in high school when dad would always sing the "Sisters" song.  And Love Actually is a college favorite...thanks Meg!

December 3: Red. Red EVERYTHING! Gift wrap, bags, bows, ornaments, and coffee cup.  All while watching Ellen's 12 Days of Giveaways! And fun little fact, a Staff Sergeant's wife from Kyle's platoon went to Tuesday's episode! I guess she went last year too! I told Kyle I will have to talk to her to see how she got tickets because next year I am going! And Meg, you are meeting me there! :)

December 4: Joyous. So thankful for the birth of my Savior.  JOY to the world!

December 5: Today's Temperature.  Boy has it been humid here! 99% humidity! YUCK! All the vog is making it humid.  And that's right, you heard me, VOG.  Not, fog.  Vog is volcanic air pollution.  There has been a lot of activity on the Big Island lately, so we've been very sticky and sweaty over here!

 
December 6: Shopping.  Amazon is how we do the majority of our shopping.  Not just because we live in Hawaii, but we love the prices and the free shipping on most items! Makes it easy to ship Christmas gifts :)

Hope you all are enjoying your time leading up to Christmas and trying to keep it as stress-free as possible!  If you're getting stressed, try to remember the true meaning of why we are celebrating.  The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  God sent him here to earth as a newborn baby to eventually die for our sins.  What a thing to praise!

When my Marine is gone...

Well, the time has come again.  Kyle left yesterday for training at Bellows Beach (about 15 minutes from where we live) until the 7th.  I have had Kyle home for the past 3 months and it's been wonderful! BUT...I am wondering if I already forgot what it's like to have him gone :/ I'm glad this training is starting off short with 10 days and then we're working up to longer starting in January.  I like that :)

When Kyle is gone, my typical days consist of a possible sub job, working on Project life, reading, going to the beach, and this time of the year, Christmas shopping.

Here was my "day in the life" for today:

7:00 Woke up

7:45 Did yoga for the first time in a LONG time and boy is my body feeling it.  I'm trying to get into a better routine of yoga, running, and lifting weights.  Getting it done first thing in the morning is the toughest thing to do, but I always feel best when I do.

9:00 Showered, got ready for the day and headed into Honolulu.  I needed to make a Target run for stocking stuffers and also make a Costco run for necessities (water, guava juice, toilet paper, and they FINALLY had Dunkin Donuts coffee back and it was even $4 off!).

3:00 Home to work on a little bit of homework

5:00 Started working on project life...getting caught up! :)

Currently, I am watching NCIS reruns and waiting till 7:45 to head over to my neighbor, Rachael's house.  Her husband is gone training as well, so we are going to watch Grey's Anatomy :) Then I will come home get ready for bed, read a little, and then get a good nights rest for a sub day tomorrow at the school on base.

Even though my life may be a bit boring, I love it :) 

Oregon Visit to Meet My 2nd Niece

My niece, Alexis Shyanne, was born October 8th and I desperately wanted to see her before she got too old.  So, I flew home on November 10th and was able to spend a wonderful 10 days with family in the beautiful, rainy Oregon!

First time holding my niece! She is so adorable!

Family photo.  Just missing Kyle...

I flew in at 3:30 and my cousin, Emily's, wedding was at 7 in Portland.  So thankful I could make it! Here she is with her HUSBAND, Ben :)

The Olaen Family (Mom's side).  Just missing 5 others!

Olaen cousins: Me, Sarah, Meg, and Janell

After the wedding I went down to Springfield with Megan to spend time with her, Lexi, and Greg.

Precious.

Her little lips!

I was loving this! But not enough to have one of my own yet ;)

What a fun smile :)

She loved being held like this.

Grandma and Lexi

The night I went back to mom and dad's, dad was coaching a middle school basketball game, so I went along to watch and got suckered into keeping book...almost had to ref!

Cutie Patootie!

My face pretty much summarizes my evening with her.  Tyler was working, Dad and Mom had practice, and Kat left for work when Macie was napping.  I had to wake her up so she could fall asleep later.  She cried a bit and cuddled and then realized she was alone...with me! She kept cuddling, while refusing to look at my face and whimpering and crying :( I think I sang, "Jesus Loves Me" about fifty times trying to sooth her.  After awhile I tried playing with her, but she wasn't having it, then I fed her and she loved me finally :)

Macie being a silly goose

I took Ty and Kat to a Blazer game my last night in town. 

It was fun going to a professional sporting event...we don't have any in Hawaii!

Oregon decided to say goodbye to me in a true Northwest fashion.  I LOVED IT!

My time went way to fast! It is so fun to be able to go home and visit family and I am so thankful to be able to do so.  Kyle found out (as of now) he will not be going to California for training like he first thought at the beginning of the year, so we are most likely going to make a trip home to Oregon TOGETHER in February! :)