"After the Wedding"

I have a deep love for the movie The Wedding Planner.

I love Jennifer Lopez' entire look from her hair, her makeup, her wardrobe, her job, her whole existence in that movie.

Oh and then Matthew McConaughey... Come on! He is so yummy in everything, but that movie especially.

And the city... I have always been in love with big city life. And San Francisco just has so much character - The hills, the architecture, the culture, all of it.

So, this movie I really just love.

While we were driving through the city, I couldn't help but think about this movie. I thought about if they did a sequel called, "After the Wedding" or "Three Kids Later."

My Sugar, just as dreamy as Matthew, and I, my makeup was a natural look like that of Jennifer's, could totally help with any of the movie ideas, creative input, writing, casting, wardrobe, makeup... whatever. We really could be the next J-Lo and Matthew. And our babies are definitely cute enough to actually be their kids in the sequel.

Dear Sugar in Three Years

Dear Sugar,

I'm writing to you today because I want you to know how I feel about this life we have together.

Just a disclaimer at the beginning, if I had started writing this post at the beginning of our move, it would have had a much different message. Especially with all the drama that came with the Navy sending a truck too small to pack up all of our stuff to fit into. And having the drama of having no one from the 4 companies that were involved wanting to take credit for the error.  And having the drama of worrying about if we would actually be able to stick to our departure date thanks to this minor (not-so-minor) hiccup in planning.

But alas, I'm writing this post after all that. I'm writing this post as we start on our new adventure toward Washington. I'm writing this post in my head as we travel up the 101. As I follow behind, closely behind you as you instructed, listening to our babe ask every 2 minutes, "Daddy still in front of us? Okay good." As I see my two big babes sticking their arms out of the windows, feeling the breeze. Movements like those of a bird that just soars through the sky looking for a new, perfect place to land. I'm writing this thinking about the fun we've had and will have just in these few days of moving, exploring new places, seeing different parts of the country, and how we would have never made this journey if we weren't forced to by the Navy. I'm writing as I'm tearing up thinking about the friendships we've made that have impacted who we are today and so thankful for social media to help those friendships stay current. (Because you know how terrible I am at using a phone to actually call someone.) And ecstatic to think that we will continue to make new friends as we travel to new places with new assignments. I'm writing to hopefully remind you of the plans we had for our family with this Navy gig - new places to travel, memories to make, items crossed off of our bucket lists - not to mention the health and retirement benefits (wink, wink).

I know the next few months will be difficult as we start over in Bremerton, leaving all that we have known. But, as a family, we can get through it. We will get established, become situated, and soon feel at peace. We may not make as much money as your classmates, but I'm okay with that. We don't know what it's like to have that kind of money anyway. But we do know what it's like to have a Daddy that is not super stressed with running a practice or worried about insurance. We do know what it's like to a daddy who is home at a reasonable hour and off for weekends and holidays. We have YOU, and that's all that matters.

So in three years, I'll re-read this post. Maybe my perspective will have changed and that will be fine. Most importantly, I'm up for any adventure with you and so are our babes. Whatever we do, let's just do what is best for our family. Whatever that may be.

I love you and always will. 

Showstopper

My Sugar and I weren't sitting together for this magic show. Afton was sitting with her daddy when she was picked to go up on stage to help out with the act.

I was sitting next to a husband and wife in another part of the audience and overheard the wife say, "Oh she is really pretty. Her poor parents will have their work cut out for them when she gets older."

The husband replied, "Hope the dad has a shotgun."

I leaned over and said, "Thank you. That's my oldest, and her Daddy will be investing in one sure enough."

The husband smiled and said, "Oh wow. She looks just like you." The wife then smacked his leg and gave him a very upset look.

It was awkward for the rest of the show.

Even if the magician was able to find the card that he was searching for while escaping from a straightjacket.

So Pretty

When I say something dumb, my loving Sugar gives me a look and tells me, "You're so pretty."

I've been hearing this for over 14 years now.

When we began our trek through Fern Canyon at Redwoods National Park, I heard a woman talking about the movie Jurassic Park. My interests were perked and so I eavesdropped more, because who doesn't like to eavesdrop? She said something that I thought was so foolish, that I almost laughed out loud. She talked about how this was where they filmed that movie.

I thought to myself, "Oh. Poor thing. She's so pretty. That movie was actually filmed on the beautiful island that they flew away from in those helicopters as they were escaping the real dinosaurs made from the mosquito blood found in those sap rock thingies. Man, should I tell her she's wrong?" (I'm so pretty and quite embarrassed that I actually thought this, but I'm sharing it anyway.)

But, I kept my personal movie knowledge to myself. (Because I'm a skilled-movie-scene-location-person and dinosaur expert if you didn't know this about me.)

Then, as we walked a little further, there was another person, completely not related to the first woman, not in her group she was hiking with, who I overhead, talking about Jurassic Park and some part of the Star Wars series that was filmed there too. (Ugh. Dang it. I came to a realization. I'm the dummy.)

Feeling foolish, I was so happy that I didn't, "Inform" that lady that she was wrong, because she wasn't. I was. I was so wrong. So very, very wrong.

At that point, I had never felt so pretty in my entire life.

In my defense, Fern Canyon was used in Jurassic Park II: The Lost World. I knew it didn't look familiar as to what I had seen in the first movie. So I'm not 100% pretty, just about 97% pretty.

But really, these pictures don't do this place justice. Maybe watch the movie to see how it really looks in here. Fern Canyon is literally pretty. Not my husband's definition of pretty, but Webster's Dictionary definition of pretty.

 

 

"Dis my pretty leafes. I will take it wif me everywhere."

She took it with her everywhere.

The Red of the Golden Gate Bridge

When we planned our trip up north, there was nothing more that I wanted to see than the Golden Gate Bridge. There is just something about bridges to me - I think they're amazing. The giant red beams floating in the sky are magical.

But when we got to the bridge, it was clear to see that we wouldn't be seeing any red of the bridge, but instead the gray fog that masked it's beauty.

Ugh. Bummer. 

So, I'll just look at these cute pictures of my babes sitting by this cute red patio set instead, and remember the day that we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Miss It

"Momma. I reyee miss it."

"Miss what babe?"

"Duh jeyee donut. Is we ever going to have a donut again? Because I reyee yike dem. A yot."

"I know. But they will have yummy donuts in Washington, too. Donuts can be found all over bub."

"Is you serious? Yet's go right now. Go faster momma."