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We had a wonderful trip to Jacksonville North Carolina
Spent the weekend with Jon who picks up PFC on the 1st of February
OohRah

I took a few pictures.... (family doesn't take many pictures so it is always left up to me to be the picture taker.... so im sure the one of me meeting the Commandant of the Marine Corp is not good quality)
Yes I met the Commandant of the Marine Corp... what an honor to just speak with him for a moment ... there was a photographer there... may see if i can get a copy of the photo...

Jon looked great in his cammies.... but then I being his mom thinks he looks great no matter what.

That evening before we went out to eat... ( it was Jon's 24th Birthday) we went to a scrapbook store Oh MY GOSH OMG!!!! good thing I don't live here......
they had so much stuff... all kinds of military paper and embellishments and they are available on line too but man on man the Marine stuff awesome... I could have spent a WHOLE lot MORE!!!!!

We had an hour wait at the resturant... but all in all it was a good night
the kids slept in on Saturday.... Ron and I went to breakfast at the hotel... and then rested and read for a while... before going out and about around town... Did i mention that it is a Marine Town every where that you look there are bumper stickers and ribbons and signs supporting the Marines it is wonderful....

Before dinner at Applebee's we did some shopping the kids went to old navy... me and ron went to Michaels... now I don't have a local Michaels close to me so I was very happy to wander the scrapbook, stamp aisles :)

i have since made my card for the valentine swap... grs weather is not cooperating... roads are bad and we are under a winter weather advisory so I will be doing a express mail of my swap to my secret valentine.

I have made a card for the Love challenge on a scrapbook group i belong to... will post it here after the voting is done :)
thinking about my sketch for the 52 sketches challenge... and also trying to learn a new technique ... and planning week one challenge

will catch you all later Happy scrappin

Arrived in NC

Well we are here in NC and getting ready to head to Lejeune for Jon's graduation from SOI lots of picture taking times...
catch you all soon... oh yes and going to a scrapbook store today too

road trip

It is 5 am thurs morning and thought i would post a little blurb...
Last night i ran to my local scrap store... I had a gift certificate for 35$... and she has these really cute rubber stamps that i have wanted to buy....
i bought 5 sheets of 12 x12 paper... but the rest of the money i used to buy things i normally wouldn't purchase.
I went a little crazy with the clear stamps... :)
I also bough a bone folder since I have just started making cards

I am off now to finish getting ready for the long drive about 10 hours heading to NC to see my son ... camera is in the purse along with extra sd card and batteries

catch you all when i return

Wow been a long time

Life has been interesting to say the least and I have not posted in almost a year... but it has certainly been an unbelievable year...

Yes Lew came to visit and it was one of the best days ever for our family. We were able to share stories about Jer with Lew and he was able to share some of the antics that he and Jer shared together in there time as Brothers... It will be a day we will never forget... I took a few pictures... and did do a scrap page but it was more important that day to just listen and share... I thank God each and every day for Lew and what he meant to Jer and what he means to us... he will forever be our family...

Now as a mom at least for me i never can seem to catch my breath which is probably why one of my favorite quotes is... life is not measured by the number of breathes we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away... one of these days i will do a layout with that quote

The end of April Jon called me and asked if it he could come to the house if we were home... now my kids have never had to call... so i knew something was up...
just didn't know what to expect...

Jonathan wanted to know how I felt about him joining the Marine Corp... talk about taking my breath away... many emotions went through me but the one thing that was certain was that this was something he knew with out a doubt he wanted to do...

So being the mom I am I take a deep breath and hold on tight cuz here we go again...

I had not realized that Jon was a shell of a Man that he had no joy no happiness and for the first time he was the Jonathan that I knew so well... before he lost his brother...

He was sworn in on April 25th did a delayed entry program... and on Aug 25th we went with him and watched him being sworn in to active duty and watched him leave to begin his journey as a USMC recruit...
During the time up to this we spent a lot of time together as a family... a weeks vacation in Florida on the Beach oh yea that was great... a day at Disney... a day at the water park... a day at St John's Pass... spent the weekend of the 4th of July in Gatlinburg ... tradition... Midnight Parade... went to the dixie stampede...

Brandi moved in with us when Jon left for boot... I absolutely loved it ... we would work out together, go shopping out to eat to the movies... just the 3 of us Brandi Chels and i
She wrote Jon every single night and sent packages and cards... Nov we went to Parris ISland SOuth Carolina and spent Family day with Jon and then his graduation... 40 degrees and windy omg we froze it was so cold... and have the pictures to prove it...
Jon was able to come home with us for 10 days before going to his next training school... this time in North Carolina... we were also blessed to have him home not only for Thanksgiving but also Christmas and New Years. OohRah!

Today I am sitting in my office at work caught up with work and looking forward to seening him on Friday yes we are going to North Carolina to see him...
It is snowing here today... Friday is Jon's brithday

Chels is a Sophomore in college and has decided on her major... Political Science with concentration in Pre Law...