Sunrise in Okinawa

Still have more Christmas photos to post, but with my Mac checked out on "vacation," I'm a bit limited in my photo uploading abilities - yes, I admit I'm spoiled! Hopefully my Mac eventually returns from this vacation.....

Meanwhile, here is a lovely sight to wake up to - I took these photos out our front door around 7:30 this morning... all that pollution makes for a beautiful sunrise! :)

Kayla's cuddly new friend.

Family photo with... as Colleen says the "Grumpy" old Santa who really was not all that Jolly this day.

Scary St Nick!

Happy Holidays! The girls had a chance to mingle and jingle yesterday in Okinawa. Alas, Santa and a few helpers made their way to the airbase for a visit and a free gift. Makenna was not soo impressed and Kayla was a bit too squirmy to really care!

First Meeting with Santa 26 NOV in IL

Ah Santa and just before Thanksgiving. The girls did not seem to mind either way!

Visit with Grandma and Papa!

So we just recently returned from a month-long trip to visit Grandma and Papa in Illinois - we had lots of fun and got lots of hugs and kisses, not to mention some yummy desserts!! Our 1st birthday was the day after we arrived (those pictures coming soon) and we certainly take after mommy when it comes to love of chocolate!

Kayla, being the little monkey that she is (we'll have to get some video of her making the monkey noise - she does it, I swear!), loved climbing in between the legs of Grandma's kitchen table. At one point, she slipped her head through the metal bars and got stuck... but it didn't stop her from trying again!


Some friends from church sent a birthday gift, but the girls are having more fun with the tissue paper than with the books they were given!


Kayla says that is SO hilarious!


Though they were a bit shy the first day or two, the girls quickly warmed up to Grandma...


...and Papa!


Looking for Santa - not yet, girls!


Playing with their cousin Joe (soon to be 3) on Thanksgiving.


Who needs a turkey on Thanksgiving? We can have roast Kayla! She's sitting in there like Daffy duck taking a bath before he realizes he's intended to be the meal!


Makenna is reading the cooking instructions..


Yeah, I'm a comedian!

final Aussie vacation photos

Yeah, I know the trip was months ago, but we never got around to posting this last part.... So the final leg of our Australia trip took us north to Cairns, where we stayed with a friend that Sean met through the military several years ago... We felt like we were staying with family, and we all had a great time!

Here's all of us:


Grandma in training! Since we were there, Val and Bala became grandparents (Omi and Opi) for the first time - Congratulations! We were just there to help with the training....



The girls are so entertained not by the shows on television, but by the buttons... they turn it on and off, the volume is all over the place, and we surf through channels faster than a skilled couch potato..


Enjoying the grass.. it's so much warmer than it was in Sydney!!




Caught me! I'm enjoying a nice juicy orange from their fruit farm..


Beware of the green ants - these buggers BITE!!


Our tour guide.. proudly showing off his 16-acre farm..





Val babysat as we took the grand tour.. The tractor we were riding pooped out before we got back and we had to walk, so we owe her some overtime payments!!


Kayla is so comfortable here, she's just kickin' back... puttin' her feet up...