I am truly blessed!

On Mother's Day, I can't help but reflect on how blessed I am as a mother and wife. I live with the three most amazing people and I thank God everyday for allowing me to parent two fantastic kids with a partner that fits me like a glove.

Okay, it's time to brag:

Kyla competed in the special olympics this month and did a great job. She competed in the mile run, long jump, and softball throw. Her teachers were excited to put her in as the runner to represent their school because she's so fast!

Casey was recently accepted into the GATE program for next year. He was assessed with a 3-part test that determined he is in the top 98th percentile in the district for IQ and creative learning. He will be attending a pull-out program every Thursday next year at the middle school along with some other classmates in the district to challenge his special mind.

Last but not least, Brandon made the promotion list for Chief Warrant Officer 3! This is an amazing accomplishment for him at such a young age. He works very hard in his position and is an excellent leader. He will be promoted within the year and I am so proud of him.

My boys!

One Adventure After Another

Last weekend, we had a pretty adventuresome and tiring weekend. On Saturday, we went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA, which is a cross between a zoo, Sea World and Six Flags. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we watched animal shows, rode roller coasters and ate junk food.

Casey made friends with Green Lantern and Flash. We didn't even know Flash was in the picture because he ran into the picture real fast and ran back out without us knowing. Ah, but he's not fast enough to do that and keep his eyes open! Ha!

On Sunday, I rode a bike alongside 12,000 marathon runners for over 26 miles at the Big Sur International Marathon. The route went alongside some beautiful California coastline. I'm sure the runners were comforted by knowing if their heart gave out, I was ready to give them a jumpstart with my fancy jumper cables. The experience did inspire me to make a pledge to actually run the marathon next year, starting with a half marathon in September.

We're back!

Okay, we're back! So, we lost our digital camera on a camping trip to a California reservoir (we think) and we have been chugging away at our weekly routines, so it took us awhile to get back to the blog. First, Casey wanted to show off his black eye. He was playing an aggressive game of dodgeball and a boy accidentally konked heads with Casey. Casey ended up with a shiner and the other boy had a big goose egg on his head.

Since we haven't really done anything noteworthy since buying the replacement digital camera, I thought it would be fun to look back. As you can see below, Casey has always been my little buddy.

"I know you told your Momma that you weren't going to eat this baby mush, but maybe you could eat it for me since us boys have to stick together. Then I can tell your Momma nah-nee-nah-nee-boo-boo."

Here is a family photo from when we were stationed at Fort Leonard Wood.
Misty through her teeth: "Snap the dog gone photo before my boy takes off again and I have a melt down like you have never seen!"

Sorry for the delay!

Dear family and friends,

We apologize for the delay in posting lately. We lost our digital camera recently and have searched high and low to no avail. We didn't know where we lost it so we have been dragging our feet on buying a new one hoping the old one would show up. Well a couple of weeks later, it is still lost. We decided to buy a new one so there should be some new pictures and posts soon!

Fun with the Mendenhalls

We had a wonderful visit with my family this week. We packed a lot of sight seeing into 3 short days! We also had a blast playing games and just enjoying each other's company. I especially enjoyed getting to know know my new sister-in-law, Jenny. She is a fantastic person and a great wife for my baby brother.

At the rocky beach we found several starfish, sea anemones, and urchins. Pete also climbed out to get a closer look at some seals. We had a rare treat and saw two dolphins passing by as we climbed on the rocks.

We took the family to one of our new favorite places, the sand dunes. Kyla showed grandma how much fun it can be to sled down the hill. She forgot to mention how steep the climb is to get back out!

T-Bones, Haircuts & a Fun Run

It's been so long since our last posting, I bet most haven't even seen Misty's new hair-do! Here is a pic of Misty and the kids right before we went on a 1.5 mile fun run with the kids at the school that Misty & Casey go to. Kyla rocked out on her mp3 player as we finished the run in 12 minutes, 11 seconds as a family. Later, they had a raffle drawing and I won a $15 gift certificate to Chili's and Misty won a baseball lunchbox! How could one family be so lucky?

The other day, we decided to go by the Commissary and each pick out something to throw on the barbque grill. Casey insisted on picking out a huge $10 t-bone steak, and I couldn't decide between a pork steak and a t-bone, so I let him get it, thinking that I could get my pork steak and help him finish off the t-bone. (yup, that's how I think) Unfortunately for me, Casey ate the entire steak! Here is a pic of him finishing off the last bite! This from a guy who usually doesn't even finish a PB&J!



The weather here has been beautiful! We have been enjoying getting out in the sunshine. Jake loves to go to the beach with us. In this pic, he is getting impatient with me because he wants me to throw the football in the water so he can go after it. He acts like a puppy at the beach.

Casey's Birthday

Okay, so it's been awhile since I last updated so maybe I will just put up three posts all at once to catch up. Too bad I can't back date them or something to make it seem like I am better at keeping up with this than I am.

Casey had a great 9th birthday! We had a little party at home and then went to a mall in Santa Clara, CA, that had a Build-A-Bear Workshop and Casey and Kyla built bears. The mall was one of the biggest malls I have ever been to, and we had a great time.

Casey was very greatful to everyone who sent him birthday money. He ended up with $70, which is a huge amount for a 9 year old. He added $5 from his allowance and bought a Lego Star Wars set that he had been admiring for a long time, but didn't think he would ever afford with his allowance. He is just like his dad & grandpa, his money tends to burn a hole in his pocket!

Kyla & Casey worked together for several hours (while Misty and I went out on a date) and completed the kit, which had several hundred pieces. Its really amazing how well they work together. Since Kyla is such a great babysitter, Misty and I went out for a Mexican dinner and bowling.

Casey is working on his surfer boy hairdo, but it's getting a little out of control. He wanted to see if he could still grow little blond curls like he had when he was a baby. Poor Casey had to miss some school this week (and so did I!!) due to a horrible rash all over his body. He's healing up pretty well now though. From boy...........

To MAN!!!

Kyla is now officially about 1 inch taller than I am and wears a full size bigger shoes. She got a cute little teddy bear from her friend Xavier for Valentine's Day. She has been enjoying middle school and her progress reports show what a great student she is.

My favorite people enjoying some fun in the sun.

Bonding

Without family and friends close by to lean on, we have really been bonding and enjoying some quality family time here in Monterey. Every weekend is a new adventure for the four of us, and we have been enjoying each other's company very much. One of our new favorite activities is tennis. (Of course I forgot to take the camera, so you get a "sit on the couch" picture....another favorite Owens family activity). We aren't that great......yet.......but we sure enjoy the time together learning a new skill (the tennis I mean, not the sitting...). It's so much fun having Kyla and Casey at the age where we can do fun things like that.

Well, I had a request to post a picture of my new Fantasy Football trophy on the blog. I am not one to dissappoint my fans, so here it is.....in all its glory. Pretty snazzy, huh? I'm egotistical enough to brag that I beat my husband (#1 football fanatic), my one and only (and favorite) brother-in-law (another football freak), not to mention several other manly men. Not bad for a girl. I plan to rub it in their faces every chance I get! Watch out for next year boys....I'm already getting all studied up!

Into the New Year

The big news in our house is that Kyla now has braces. At first she thought it would be really cool to have braces, but then she got them put on. Now, she realizes its a little uncomfortable, but she still has the prettiest silver smile I ever saw. She has to wear them for the next year and a half. At least now they have these cool colors you can add to them every time she goes in for an appointment. The dog gone things should play mp3's with as much as they cost!


As for Casey, he was watching TV this morning and has come up with a new career idea. He saw John Walsh on a commercial and now thinks it would be great to work for the Center of "Missing and Exploded Children". He says he doesn't know what it is, but it sounds cool!

Over the last month, I had more time off than I knew what to do with and I was glad to get back to the grind. That is, until I went back to the grind. When is my next vacation? Well, at least it's NFL playoff weekend and my plan to transform Misty into a football fanatic worked to such perfection that we are both counting down the minutes to kickoff.

While mom was here, she taught us how to play canasta and now we play it just about every free chance we have. The problem is that Misty is a little bit better at it than I am and we are both learning what a poor loser I can be. Any canasta wizards out there need to email me their tips because my pride is on the line. I have already had to fake sneeze, fake choke, and even had a fake seizure to mess up all the cards on the table when things were looking bad. I'm running out of material!

Christmas Day

Our first Christmas in Monterey was awesome! We had a great time playing games all day and eating way too much. Later, we noticed that half of the Christmas cards we sent out had Christmas spelled wrong (Chrismas), including the ones Misty gave to her teacher coworkers! Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful gifts! We sure did miss being able to see family over the holidays. We hope everyone had a great Christmas, too, and will have a great New Year!

Feeding the Gulls

Check this out! If you stand at Asilomar with an animal cracker outstretched in your hand, the seagulls will come by and snatch it from your hand. It's a little unnerving, though, as they come in large numbers and sometimes have midair fights over who is going to snatch it from your hand. Misty was at the ready with the camera so that we would have the pictures ready for the blog even if it was to show how a disaster unfolded!

Asilomar

One of our favorite spots on the Monterey Penninsula is Asilomar. The beaches there have large rock formations that you can climb on and are spotted by tide pools filled with acquatic life and treasures. Plus, the views from these rocks are awesome!

Jake loves to come along and go for a swim. He is going to be ten years old this spring, but he still acts like a puppy on the beaches. He usually suffers through some joint and muscle pain the next day, but there is no doubt that he thinks it is worth it.

Christmas Update, pt. 4

Me

As for me, I am still working as the Special Agent in Charge of the Monterey CID office, which is probably the easiest job I ever had. I run about four times a week on the beach, where I have encountered pelicans, dolphins, seals, hippies, and have even been soaked by an unexpected wave. Always an adventure. My job causes me to drive around California and Nevada a lot, but I still get plenty of time off to spend with Misty & the kids.
Mom recently came to visit and we had a great time exploring Big Sur, which you can see in the background. I love playing tour guide around here, so everyone is invited to come out, stay with us and see the sights. I am enjoying a much easier routine here than I had in Fort Leavenworth as I am slowing down in my ambitions and taking time to enjoy each day with family.

Well, that's our update for Christmas. My New Year's resolution will be to keep up with this site better. I aspire to do as well with our site as Sheryl does with hers. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?

Christmas Update, pt. 3

Misty

As most of you know, Misty started her first teaching job this year as a first grade teacher. Misty has been working very hard as she has to develop lesson plans and learn the ropes of the new school system in her first year of teaching. She often works on school work in the evenings and during the weekends to make sure everything runs smooth for the next lessons. Misty took the job after the school year already started and had to win over parents who were angry that their kids had to change classrooms due to over-enrollment. We all knew she would win them over, and she has, but it was no easy task.

Despite the challenges, Misty manages to achieve balance in her life and take time to take care of the kids and I. Though sometimes they complain, the kids have benefited from having a teacher in the house who carefully scrutinizes all of their homework assignments and performance reviews to ensure they are doing the best they can do.

Misty also played fantasy football with me this season, and handed me a defeat that eliminated me from the competition and now she is a couple games from winning the league. Turns out that I am the real winner, though, as her interest in football has skyrocketed as a result and now she is the one insisting we make time to watch the games on TV. hehehehe....my plan worked perfectly.

Christmas Updates pt. 2

Kyla

Kyla is in the sixth grade, which is Middle School in California. She has seven classes and six different teachers, so it's very much like High School. She is now a little bit taller than her mom and she will probably grow much taller than her soon. When Kyla grows up, she wants to be an OB/GYN doctor so she can spend her days with as many babies as possible. She loves babies!

Kyla loves to play video games, but this Christmas she asked for more clothes than toys. She is now old enough to babysit, so she often watches Casey while Misty & I go out for dinner or go shopping. After thirteen years of marriage, Misty and I finally get to go on dates again!

Christmas Updates

The Christmas Cards are in the mail and I included a note in them to check our site to see what's new with us instead of writing a Christmas letter. So, I thought I would take this time to update everyone on each of us.

Casey

Casey is in the third grade and he loves to play video games on the X-Box and computer. He also loves going to the rocky beaches and exploring while climbing on the rock formations. Casey has started to notice girls and often comes home with a note from girls in his class with their phone numbers, which he proudly shows off, but is too nervous to actually call the girls. "Maybe I will just tell them I lost it, so they don't feel bad," he says.

Casey loves hanging out with his sister, who is really his best friend. He also likes to humor his dad and play catch from time to time. He has a natural talent for throwing both the baseball and the football! I try and encourage him so he can buy me a boat and season tickets to Rams games when he is drafted to their team after winning the Heisman trophy. Casey says he would rather work in a zoo and feed the animals.

Sand Sledding

Man, it has been FOREVER since we updated our blog. Sorry about that, but maybe I can do some catching up. Since winter is fast approaching, we decided to embark in a new Monterey tradition...sand sledding. We packed up the sled, went out to a big sand dune, and went for a ride.




The down side is that once you ride the sled all the way to the bottom, there is only one way back up!

My Little Missionary

The kids and I returned to school today after a much needed two-week break. It went by much too fast, but it's also nice to be back in our routine. Casey took good advantage of being back in school by ministering to his fellow classmates. He told us that at recess he asked one of his friends if he knew about God and heaven. His friend said that he didn't know much about it, so Casey proceeded to tell him a few Bible stories, told him all about heaven, and then ended the conversation by asking his friend if he wanted to go to heaven too. Apparently, he did because he prayed with Casey on the playground. Casey told his friend that he needed to confess his sins, ask for forgiveness, and ask Jesus to be part of his life, which he did. Casey said his friend continued to ask him questions about heaven for the rest of recess, and the afternoon recess as well. He told me that he is excited to go back to school so he can tell someone else about Jesus. My little missionary!

Football & Marshmallows

Well, football season is upon us, so this family descends into a weekly ritual of jerseys, junk food, fantasy football and cheering for the St. Louis Rams (that's right, win or lose....like a true fan.)



Of course, you know there is never any shortage of clowning around here. In an effort to encourage Casey's future NFL Hall of Fame career, I donned my watermelon helmet and demonstrated a proper tackle.



This weekend, we took a trip out to Carmel Beach, started a fire and cooked up some S'mores. Good times.