N~NAVY

N is for NAVY

I was a Navy brat and a Navy wife. We are a proud Navy family! I did a scrapbook for husband's  Navy retirement. He served for 20 years and thought I would share a few pages from it.

This is a portrait my husband took in his Navy uniform before his last deployment and the cover of the Navy scrapbook.

Navy emblem on the inside cover.

Navy definition:A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includes anything conducted by surface ships, amphibious ships, submarines, and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields; recent developments have included space related operations. The strategic offensive role of a navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of the navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of nuclear missiles.

This page shows my husband on the flight deck of the USS Enterprise, a Navy aircraft carrier, in his flight deck gear. The Navy plane behind him is an S~3.

My husband when he first joined the Navy. Oh, so young! I met him 5 months after I graduated high school and we have been together since.

This picture above will always be special to me. It captures the moment my husband came home after his 9 month deployment to Desert Storm/Desert Shield, that is our first born between us. My dad took the shot, you see my husband had left when our first born was 2 hours old and didn't get back until he was 9 months old. I was fortunate to have the wonderful support of family and friends during that time. I often tell my husband you're lucky I was a Navy brat first, I knew what I was getting into before I married him!

This is a  photo of the Navy ship and hubby is sitting in what they call a berthing, where they sleep. Those colorful ribbons, are like the Navy ribbons given to the men during that time. I thought it was neat they had them on scrapbooking cards!

One of our Navy duty stations was in Virginia for 3 years. Someone told us it didn't snow by the beach, they lied! My husband is in his Navy whites and my boys in the other pic. I had my second son while we were stationed there.

This is a picture of my husband's Navy re~enlistment. The special part was my dad is the one re~enlisting him! My dad was an officer in Navy and the swearing in can only be done by an officer.  My dad served in the Navy for 30 years! Not many people can have their father re~enlist their husband in the Navy. Great memories!

Ah, our next duty station the Navy sent us to, is Sicily. We knew this would be an opportunity of a life time. We got to enjoy all the culture and its surroundings. I had my daughter there, too! I often joke, saying she has the made in Italy stamp on her behind! LOL!  The pictures above are in Agrigento, Sicily, it still has some of the Greek structures still standing. Amazing, isn't it?

This is picture of us in a German restaurant. My husband joined a Navy bike team and we drove up to Germany for his mountain bike competetion.

At one time my husband had to travel for the Navy. He had a layover in New York, so he decided to do a little sight~seeing. He had a lady snap a pic of him on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. It is a picture with the Twin Towers behind him, two years before 9/11. Who knew......

We are a coffee lovin' family! When the Navy ship would pull into port, my husband would check out the Starbucks! Yes, overseas! We have quite a collction of mugs!

The last page of the Navy scrapbook is my husband looking over the bow of the Navy ship during a sunset. He says there is nothing like watching the sunset out at sea. I can't imagine....

A couple of other Navy memorbilia, a picture of him and the Navy emblem and his Navy shadow box. A shadow box is all the Navy ribbons and a folded flag at the top. My husband's flag just happens to have been flown where the Twin Tower's were....

Now you know we are a NAVY family.... hope you enjoyed the Navy scrapbook pictures. I am joining Jenny Matlock for Alphabe~Thursday. You can see more N items at her blog Jenny Matlock...off my tangent, they're are sure to be some great N post!.....Now have a great day!... Michelle

"Around the Yard and Back"

I've been out in the yard, alot! The weather has been just gorgeous! My husband was getting some extra hours at work, so I decided to tackle the yard myself. I weeded, mulched, and just spruced things up. The kids did help with the edging and the mowing. Thank goodness! This picture is of my Knockout roses around the lantern. They filled in quickly. They originally start out as 3 little potted plants. Aren't they something?

This bottom picture is before the sprucing up and new mulch.

This is another shot of the front yard beds before redoing them. My dear husband made the one in the center of the yard in a heart shape for me last year on Mother's day. I know, very sweet and thoughtful of him. :)

The beds are getting  some new flowers. I do have some perrenials that I cut back, that are starting to flower now. My elm tree fluffed up nicely this year, too.

 I liked my first elm tree so much, I planted this one here on the other side of the front yard. It is replacing a little palm tree that didn't make it. I think the elm will do better in its place. Hopefully, the grass will come in better.

Here is a garden angel peeking out from the lorapetlum bushes. The picture below is a better shot of daisies planted in the front bed.

My metal sun needed some refreshing, as well. Poor thing!

Here he is, all shiny and bright, with some yellow spray paint. I like how you can see the details better now.

My little hummingbird got some much needed paint, too.

I think he turned out pretty well and looks good among the lugustrims that are about to bloom. (I'm sure my allergies will flair up again.) I have few other things to spray paint and will post them after.

Oh, I have new theme in my backyard this year. I was always trying to do a tuscan look, but never quite could. I am loving the nautical theme instead. It just seems natural being in FL and having a pool. (By the way, the jacuzzi is coming along quite well.) The little crabby dish towel was only $1.49 and the little latern was $2.00 at Home Goods.

I have crabs! LOL! Just joking! They are plastic and from Home Goods. They were kinda on the pricey side. I couldn't resist though, I thought they would go great with theme. I hope to do another table vignette dressed up with them.

The lobster sign I got a Ross for $4.99. Another great touch to the nautical theme.

Here's are mosaic using the pics from the front and back.

Another picture of the daisies using my photo editing website. I love the how the butterflies look like they're really  flying in the picture! 

I am linking up with several blogging parties today....thank you ladies very much for having them. Please go by and visit them, there are so many ideas and so much inspiration to be found!....Michelle

Monday:

Mary@http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

Susan@http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Cheri@http://itssoverycheri.blogspot.com

Tuesday:

Linda@http://coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Me~Michelle

That's me~Michelle. I decided to write a few things about Myself since my name is Michelle. Today's letter is M for Alphabe~ Thursday with Jenny Matlock. A while back I was given a Beautiful  Blogger Award from Debbie at Debbiedoos, I put it on the back burner, but didn't forget. Thank you again Debbie, this was so kind of you. Oh, by the way she is having a mighty tastey give~away, so please stop by and visit her blog. Your suppose to pass the award on to 15 other blogs and tell 7 things about yourself. I love all the blogs I read and have a hard time choosing, plus alot of these blogs are award free, so I'll be skipping that part. Here are the 7 things you probably didn't know about Me.......

1. My first 5 years of life were spent in Japan. My dad was in the Military, so we moved there when I was a few months old. My parents say I spoke Japanese fluently, since we lived out in town and I played with the local Japanese kids. I don't remember any of language now.

2. My furry mammals are Harry and Twinkles. They are our pet have guinea pigs. When they here me coming they start whistling and squealing for food. Below is a picture of Twinkles, she is about 6 years old. Could her eyes bulge any further out, LOL!!!

3. My family consist of my husband and 3 kids. I have two boys and a girl. My daughter even has an M name, Madison. This is Madison, she just turned twelve years old. Oh, heaven help me, my husband calls her "My Mini~Me"!!

4. My first born son is very artistic. He has been doing art, especially oil painting for the longest time(I featured a couple of his painting in a previous post). He even took up the electric guitar and now plays bass. He, also, is my hairdresser! Wonder how my daughter and I got those curly locks in pics above, he did them!! He came to us in his senior year of high school and said he was interested in cosmetology. My husband didn't take this too well, at first, me, I knew he had it in him. He has always been conscience of how he looks and dresses. I knew this would be a good career for him. (He has girlfriends, just to let everyone know, and not that it matters..just sayin'...:)  Well, he graduated high school last year and now graduates cosmetology school this Saturday.  I am fortunate to have a few hairdresser friends and they have helped him tremenously. He even interned in my friends salon. My husband finely saw what he can do and realized this was right for him, too. My whole family goes to him, (even my mother in~law),  and his friends, too! We are very proud him!!!

5. My artistic side. I  taught myself to paint, quilt, and do various crafts. I knew we would be moving around,  since I married a military man, he would be deployed and I would do various projects while he was gone.  I use to paint, alot, escpecially when country crafts were popular. I can even do some Donna Dewberry type painting.  Here are a couple little quilts I did.

6. I love Music. I always have a radio on or a CD in. On the computer, I use Pandora. You find just about everything on there. I enjoy a variety of music from top 40, jazz, and even like a little rap. Don't laugh, I'm talking 80's stuff or something with more of a beat and I know the words.

7. My home is My comfort zone. I truly enjoy my home and my family. Sometimes while were out my husband will joke and say "you ready to get back to your "comfort zone"? Nothing like being away, even for a weekend, to get back to your own bed!!! 

That's my "M" post about myself.....Michelle. Thank Jenny for having this weekly blog event, it's one of my favorites!  You see many more M items on her blog at Jenny Matlock...off my tangent.  May you have a marvelous Day!.....Michelle (p.s. sorry about the white showing up in the post, I must have pressed the wrong thing...not sure how to go back and fix without erasing everything.)

Leaping Lizards!!

Wow, it's been awhile since being on here!! My computer was acting up, we switched internet providers and had some "issues". I've been catching up little by little. This is a post I had for last week but thought it could be used for Outdoor Wednesday. We have lizards everywhere in the summer time. I even saved one this morning, it was in the pool filter! This little guy let me take a couple of pics of him. I was just out back on the covered patio when I spotted him. He was probably looking for his dinner.

He's keeping his eye on me, LOL!

I can't believe how close he let me get. It's kinda creepy and cool looking at the texture of his skin. My kids really liked the up close pics, too. We could see details we normally don't get see.

This is a lizard I painted on the fence a few years ago. I thought it was appropriate since we have so many of them running around. I used acrylic paint that was made for staying on wood. It really has lasted! I am joining Susan for her Outdoor Wednesday meme. Your can see more great outdoor shots on her blog. I hope everyone gets a chance to get outside today. I have been outdoors in my yard remulching, adding flowers, and pulling weeds for about the last two weeks. The weather has been awesome! Also, my blogger friend Debbie of Debbiedoos... loves livin in the Carolinas is having a giveaway. She has a wonderful and entertaining blog, so go by visit her and enter to win a $25.00 gift certificate to Red Lobster. Love me some seafood!!! Have a great day......Michelle

J~for Jacuzzi

J is for Jacuzzi.....

 My husband came home the other night with a offer from a friend at work. He had a Jacuzzi for sale. It was posted on craigslist but he wanted to let us know about his deal. Now I've always wanted one, but wasn't sure about how much space they take up. Well, needless to say, we now own that Jacuzzi. It is a fixer upper type thing, but it is in great machanical  shape. Don't laugh but here is the picture of it....(this is very embarassing!)LOL

It does look kinda bad right now. We do have all the sides of it, they just need to be put back on and probably stained or painted. Hmmm.....I can do that. It took six men to load it on a truck and be put in our backyard! The inside shell of the Jacuzzi is in perfect condition. We, also, need to get a space leveled with pavers or cement .Hopefully in the end it will look like this....

I picture many nights of enjoyment once it is all put together and set up. Wish us luck and I will be sure to post the end results when done! I am joining Jenny Matlock for her Alphabe~Thursday. You can find more letter "J"  particpants at her blog Jenny Matlock...off my tangent. If you have any advice or ideas on this, I would  appreciate that too! .....Michelle

Spring Table & More!

Ahhhh... Spring.....

This is my table with a little spring decorating. Its a mix match of things I've had and couple of new items. It all started with these...

I was out thrift store shopping and came across them. The placemats were .75 each and the napkins were .49 a piece. They are a neutral color of green and I thought they could be used often. So for a total of $5.00 a got them. Then I was at Ross and spotted this....

It's the tablecloth, actually its vinyl, but I loved the print. Sorry the picture is blurry, but you can see it was only $4.99. Good deal and just right for a spring table setting!

Then, the plate shown above, I bought at the Dollar Tree several years ago. Love the colors!  I, also, bought this one....

The picture came out fuzzy, but you still get a pretty good idea of what it looks like.

Aren't they cute? These bird statues were a gift from my mother~in~law.  I was with her and she knew how much I loved birds, especially Blue birds. She bought them on clearance for $4.00 each at Ross. Great find, Mom!

This is a shot of the morning sun shining on one my rooster pitchers from Sicily. I did a post previously about them...check it out for the history and to see my collection. Oh, the tulips were a birthday present. Love the color of them! See the pie safe in the background?....I hope to give it a paint treatment soon. So many of you bloggers have such great inspiration pieces. :)

O.K.,  I couldn't help myself, but it was so fitting.  This is one of little birds I bought at the Dollar Tree. They have several varieties to choose from..who can resist?

Ah, this has been my favorite recent purchase! Would you like a cup of pink lemonade? I love this pitcher and the wine glasses. I bought it at Wal~Mart. The pitcher was $6.00 (not bad since a small carafe was $3.oo). The wine glasses were $2.oo a piece. I bought a set of six of them. They are really plastic! Can you believe it? So, for $16.00 I got the whole set.  I love the new print from the Better Homes and Gardens collection that Wal~Mart is selling, from the bedding to housewares.

Here's another view of my Spring table. I am joining Linda at her blog Coastal Charm for her Nifty Thrifty Tuesday party. What fun, take a look at other thrifty finds! I am, also, joining up with Marty at her blog A Stroll Thu Life for her Tabletop Tuesday party. At this party you will see lots of beautiful table settings full of ideas! Thank you to both of these ladies for having these parties!.....Michelle