The James Family
A smile happens in a flash...but its memory can last a lifetime.
We leave for vacation today. I'm so excited! Ned and I decided to take the kids to southern California and tour all the sights there. We have a lot planned...just talking about doing everything makes me want to take a NAP! But it should be fun. We're going to be in San Diego, LA, Anaheim, and Santa Cruz. Check back in a week or two for some pictures.
The kids are really excited about going to Seaworld!
Because I am such a Food Network JUNKIE I know all about Pink's. It's this world famous hotdog stand and it's a huge place among movie stars. I actually don't care too much about the movie stars, but I've seen so many spotlights on this place I just have to go. This is where Bruce Willis propsed to Demi Moore, too. Cool!
Of course, no trip is complete without Disneyland. Hopefully the kids will be able to handle all of this action. Tatum is so excited to see a real princess up close! Should be fun!
The kids and I broke in our new stroller this morning. We went for a walk down on the beach. It was great and the stroller worked even better than I expected. Notice the WINTER coats on my children in the end of June. Crazy. In any case, we all had fun and the kids enjoyed it.
Some views from our walk this morning.
I guess he's all tuckered out!
Mom got a new toy today!! I am so stoked about it. Ever since I have been walking for over a year now, I have wanted a jogging stroller. It's easier to move and turn with and I love that the kids are side by side. The swivel wheel in front is awesome because turning is no big deal now. I also ordered a rain cover for those rainy/windy mornings. The kids are so excited about it, too. (Poor kids...they are dragged out for hours at a time while I walk!) So this will help us all have a better time. No more Sit N' Stand stroller! (Shown below)
This was my old stroller. It has a place for the infant/smaller child in front and then the older child can either stand or sit on the back ledge. I was really excited about getting it when Carson was born. But it is so hard to maneuver. Plus, you can't really tell in the picture but it's so L-O-N-G and I feel a mile away from Carson who usually needs me more often than Tatum. If anyone is thinking of getting a double stroller, the jogging stroller is the way to go!
We're headed to southern California for a family vacation on Friday. Tatum is SO excited to go to the beach. Of course, because it's not like the beach is a 100 yeards from our house or anything...lol...but California beaches are warm and sunny and she's excited. Tatum decided to "practice" going to the beach and got out her shades and towel to get ready. What a cutie!
Ok, it's official. My kids are easily amused and I'm amused by how easily amused they are. Did that make any sense? Anyway, the one thing that kind of bugs me about Whidbey island is all the seagulls. They are really vulchers that will try and get into anything!!! They will destroy your trash when it's out on the street and cuse a huge mess. So every Wednesday I am on "Seagull duty" and have to ward off the birds while my trash is out. Just recently the kids started to join me. The get thier chairs and stand at the window and yell "HEY!!!" as loud as they can everytime a bird flies by. It is so cute. Here are a couple pics from our Seagull adventure!
As promised, I took some pictures today. Poor Carson. He was so cranky. This family picture would have turned out ok, if he didn't look so angry! Anyway, we had an ok Sunday today. The kids didn't do too well at church today. At one point I escorted Tatum out of Sacrament Meeting screaming at the top of her lungs. How embarressing! But overall today was good. We fasted for my Cousin (Patty) and her family. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl at about 24 weeks gestation. Her name is Lauri Kayliana and she is amazing. She has overcome so much in just a few days and is growing stronger with every moment. She's having a major surgery done on her heart on Tuesday that will be life saving. Normally, this procedure isn't done on babies who are just a couple pounds, so it's a critical time. Please keep little Lauri in your thoughts and prayers. Isn't it amazing how those with the smallest bodies have the biggest spirits? Life is precious and so fragile. It all really makes you think and take in the small moments of the day. It is all truly a miracle.
The kids sitting at thier table in the kitchen. It's now thier favorite thing to do. They insist on eating all of thier snacks together and everything. In fact, Carson will NOT sit in Tatum's seat because he has to have his assigned seat. It's so funny.
How cute is Tatum? I mean seriously...she's just too cute for words.
Tatum insisted that I take a picture, too. I guess that's only fair since I'm always shoving a camera into thier faces!
Hut...hut...hike! Carson is a football player in the making! Here are a few shots of Carson from today. He was in a foul mood for most of the day, though. Poor guy. Sundays are so hard on toddlers.
I managed to get an actual smile from Carson today!
Carson climbing the stairs to attack mom!
Not your best look, Carson. But mom still thinks you're cute!
I know I have been decently lazy with my blog lately. Sorry! Between getting home from a long trip, adjusting to having Ned home and everything else that comes with two kids life has all of a sudden gotten crazy. But I'm turning over a new leaf and I'm posting pictures again. I admit I haven't been the best at posting pictures lately and that's not good. Because if I'm not posting them, it means I haven't been taking pictures either. So here goes. I finally got around to loading some up from Utah and Ned's return home. This picture of me was taken the night Ned flew into SLC to take us all home. Good times!
Ned and I a couple days after he came to Utah. I LOVE having him home!
I came across this picture I took of Ned on our way to the Temple in Utah. He was making a crazy face. But cute anyway. : )
Here's a couple pictures of Ned with the kids the day he came to Utah! YAY!
My little brother Mark and his girlfriend, Molly.
My little brother, Mark, received his mission call today. He will be serving in the Calgary- Alberta, Canada mission. He was so excited and I'm so happy for him. Mark and I never really got along as younger kids...ok, we were mortal enemies. But now that we've both grown up a bit, we have become good friends. He is a hardworking and honest guy and I know that he will be a great missionary. I look forward to his letters and hearing of his experiences and trying to be a better member missionary in my own life. I know he has a long road ahead of him-with Molly waiting for him back in Indiana... but I know first hand that two people who care for each other can endure distance and the test of time. :) I'm proud of you, Marky! Good luck!
Well it's been a while since my last post. I just wanted to wish everyone a belated Father's Day. We had a good day and Ned was glad to be at home for the holiday. I feel like I've been out of the loop for a while. I haven't been very good at responding to comments on my blog, returning phone calls and things like that. I haven't been feeling well for the past couple of weeks and it's taking everything in me just to keep the kids happy. I'm having a bad reaction to some medication I just started taking and it's just one of those things. On top of that all, Ned and I are re-decorating the entire house and re-arranging rooms and so on. I put Tatum and Carson in the same room to try and help Tatum out with some of her anxiety that she's been having. And on top of THAT, Ned and and I are both enrolled to start school full time in July and we're trying to get that all figured out. So that's my crazy life right now. Things here are pretty good and I have yet to see a day over 60 degrees. Not too bad for June17th.
The past few weeks here have been an absolute whirlwind. Ned's been busy with his command and scouting...I have been catching up on church callings and getting the house organized after such a long time away. But things are finally starting to slow down and it's hitting me that we will be in Whidbey Island for at the minimum of four more years. Every day I live here, I fall more and more in love with this place. I'm so excited to be here and finally feel settled...not having to worry about the next pack-out and moving. Here are some things I love about Whidbey...
It never gets about 70 degrees, even in the dead of Summer. In fact, it's still coat weather here and we're still running the heat. Such a welcome change from the hummidity of Connecticut.
There is always somewhere to go and view nature...being an island there is a beach everywhere you look. I love the water.
I love the rain. Rain, rain and more rain....
The berries growing everywhere in the Summer, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries. It's such a blast picking them with the kids and making jam and pies and everything. So fun. And best of all...FREE!
The Air community here is so awesome. The Navy base out here is huge and Tatum's soon to be Elementary school is about 98% military.
Anyway, I could truly go on and on, but in a nutshell I'm excited to call this beautiful place home for a few more years!
While in Utah, we had some family pictures done with everyone at the reunion. It was freezing outside and we were all so cold. Also, the wind was blowing....so the pictures aren't the absolute greatest, but we were all together and that's all that matters!
The whole family!
The James family grandchildren. (Plus Catherine!)
Ned and his siblings.
The James family transplants! 
Ok Alisa...I totally stole the pics of the family reunion from your blog! But I didn't think you'd mind. :) Anyway, with that said...here are some pictures of our family reunion in Utah. This is my in-law's new home in Lehi, Ut. It was so fun getting together with everyone. It's been since our Wedding ( going on 7 years ago...) that we have had everyone together. It was nothing short of a miracle that Ned was sent home 2 weeks early so he could be there. 
Mommy and Tatum.
Daddy and Tatum having laughs...
The kids at Grandma and Granpa James' house.
Ned building his first card tower!
Carson with his favorite Uncle...Matt!
The kids are really excited about going to Seaworld!
Because I am such a Food Network JUNKIE I know all about Pink's. It's this world famous hotdog stand and it's a huge place among movie stars. I actually don't care too much about the movie stars, but I've seen so many spotlights on this place I just have to go. This is where Bruce Willis propsed to Demi Moore, too. Cool!
