Yummy Trees

The Bradford Pear trees are in bloom here. Actually they are almost finished blooming. On Friday we were driving down the road giving the Sister Missionaries a ride when Nathan points out the beautiful trees and tells one of the sisters, "See, Yummy Trees!" At first we were all confused but after a couple of seconds we figured out he was talking about popcorn trees. One of the sisters said that she had never realized what that song really meant until she came here on her mission and saw the "popcorn trees" in bloom. Nathan has regularly called them popcorn trees, but yummy trees was something new. We love yummy trees.

I looked out the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.
Spring has brought me such a nice surprise!
Popcorn popping right before my eyes.
I can take a handful and make a treat.
A popcorn ball that smells so sweet.
It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

Spencer turns 10

This past week Spencer turned 10. Ten years ago he was born in the middle of the night by emergency c-section. I never saw him because I was unconscious when they rushed him of to the NICU. The next day they brought me a Polaroid and I asked Jay why my baby looked like a three month old. He was a big baby and it was really a surprise to me to see how big he looked. The nurses would come into my room and comment on the fact that I was the mother of the BIG baby in the NICU. Finally that night they let me go down to see him and he really was a big baby. They had his 9 and a half pound body next to a baby who weighed about 4 pounds. But he was beyond BEAUTIFUL.

When he was little we used to call Spencer Happy because he was just a happy go lucky baby and little boy. He is still my best snuggler and cuddler. He knows that he is his Mother's precious.

He had a great birthday week that we drug out over several days. We celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa on Sunday, Grandmama and Granddaddy on Monday, our friend Carol and her children joined us for dinner out on Spencer's actual birthday and then he had a Laser Tag birthday party with his friends on Friday. I think that is enough celebrating to declare him officially 10.

Blog depression

I have been feeling a little bit blog of depression lately. I don't have any pictures of anything we are doing and I certainly don't feel witty. I'm not depressed and I am very thankful, but I am just not feeling creative and I hate to write a boring blog knowingly.
Under things that I am thankful for, my trip to SC two weeks ago would be a big one. I really needed that vacation. Sadly after the week I just had I really need another one. My big thankful for the week is a little bit wrong. I am so very thankful that Jay has 14 days off. The problem is that he has 14 days off because he had his appendix removed. I would love to take a picture of him all laid out sleeping, but it seems unkind.
Jay started not feeling good on Monday after lunch, but just kept pushing on. Monday night I suggested that he go to the ER and get checked out because I was suspecting appendix. He couldn't do that because he said that after spending hours in the ER he wouldn't be fit for duty the next day so he did nothing. Tuesday morning he had a slight fever and went into work, but was sent on to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital by mid morning. It was his appendix and Tuesday night they operated. He came home Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday night Nathan got an ear infection and had massive throwing up followed by Friday in the wee hours of the morning Sarah starting the throwing up and she is still not quite right.
I am so very glad that Jay's surgery went well and in spite of all he had to go through I am deliriously happy that he will be home with us for another 8 days.

2009 Girlfriend Survey

2009 Girl Friend Survey
Welcome to the 2009 edition of getting to know your Friends. ' press FORWARD ' then change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known!



1. What time did you get up this morning? 5:15 with throwing up child. Again at 7:25 with child saying, Mom you were supposed to get up at 7:00 when I woke you, we need to leave in 5 mins.

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Bolt

4. What is your favorite TV show? CMT music, Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Fruity Dino Bites


6. What is your middle name? McMillan


7. What food do you dislike? Liver


8. What is your favorite CD at moment? Jason Alden


9. What kind of car do you drive? Hyundai Entourage


10. Favorite sandwich? Turkey & Cheese


11. What characteristic do you despise? Self importance


12. Favorite item of clothing? Levi's


13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Italy


14. Favorite brand of clothing? Coldwater Creek


15. Where would you retire to? Yorktown, VA, Raleigh, NC or the Blue Ridge Mountains


16. What was your most memorable birthday? 7th, my parents took me to the Ice Capades

17. Favorite sport to watch? March Madness Basketball


18. Furthest place you are sending this? don't know yet


19. Person you expect to send it back first? don't know yet


20. When is your birthday? January 6, 1975


21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night


22. What is your shoe size? 6 1/2 - 7


23. Pets? Family Dog - Dutchess the cat, Cheyanne the dog


24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? We have company coming


25. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher, then a nurse


26. How are you today? Tired


27. What is your favorite candy? Whatchamacallit


28. What is your favorite flower? Hyacinth


29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? March 24th, our next family birthday


30. What's your full name? Susan McMillan Stubbs Forsgren


31. What are you listening to right now? Lord of the Rings, not by choice


32. What was the last thing you ate? Scallops, my mom made me dinner


33. Do you wish on stars? Sometimes, when I am feeling whimsical


34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Gold


35. How is the weather right now? Rainy and cold


36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? My Mom


37. Favorite soft drink? Wild Cherry Pepsi


38. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden


39. Real hair color? Can't remember


40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie


41. Summer or winter? Summer

42. Hugs or kisses? Kisses

43. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

44. Coffee or tea? Sleepytime Herbal Tea

45. Do you want your friends to email you back? Of course

46. When was the last time you cried? This morning reading my SIL's blog


47. What is under your bed? Books


48. What did you do last night? Worked until I fell asleep

49. What are you afraid of? Ticks


50. Salty or sweet? Sweet

51. How many keys on your key ring? 3


52. How many years at your current job? 12.5

53. Favorite day of the week? Friday, date night

54. How many towns have you lived in? Yorktown, VA; Raleigh, NC; Provo, UT; Raleigh, NC; Yorktown, VA; Goose Creek, SC; Portsmouth, RI; Yorktown, VA; Portsmouth, RI; Yorktown, VA

55. Do you make friends easily? I try

Please feel free to copy and answer on your own blogs, I would love to know your answers.

Doing the Charleston

Jay had a port visit this weekend in Charleston, SC and my parents wonderfully agreed to take care of the children for me to come down to Charleston for a little vacation. Jay and I had a great time driving all over town reminiscing. We went to the Naval Weapon's Station and visited Charlie who is big as ever. Also there were two smaller alligators in the water inside his fence. We drove down Hickory Hall Lane and over to Keklico remembering all of our friends from our year in Charleston. We had lunch at Hyman's seafood and dinner at T-Bonz and Kaminsky's. One of the things that we reminisced about was when we passed the Outback Steakhouse and Jay reminded me of our going to dinner with two other couples and how everyone changed their drink orders after I ordered Dr. Pepper. You know who you are.

Charleston was a fabulous year and we are still friends with so many people from that year. I swore I wouldn't have any friends in Charleston, but I don't think I have ever had so many friends in one place. We had a great time this weekend. I am so grateful for a great vacation.

Update

I haven't been blogging lately. Jay has been very disappointed in me for not keeping up with the blog, but life has been crazy. Spencer spent the month of January suffering severely with migraine headaches. He only made it through 5 full days of school in the month of January. We fell way behind trying to help Spencer through that time. He started an antidepressant medicine four weeks ago and has not had a single headache since. We are so very thankful that he is doing better. Not to mention the medicine has also brought back the Spencer that we haven't seen in a very long time. The difference is amazing and wonderful. He is so happy and talkative and fun. Big thankful on that front.

Jay began sea work at the end of January. February he was in and out every other week. The ship came out of the shipyard and is now based in Little Creek. The best part of this is that the children and I can go and see Jay on the ship sometimes. Nathan really loves to go to the ship. In March Jay will be out three weeks, in one.

Our favorite thing this past month was the few really warm days that we had. We were able to get several great playground days in during February. Now we are all waiting for spring. Bring it on.