X marks the spot...

When I think of the phrase "X marks the spot", I think of pirates and treasures.

However, with that said...this verse is one to keep in mind...about "treasures"...

...a few of our family's "Pirates" & "treasures"...not of silver, gold or other physical properties...

In flight school, the classes are identified by colors. My husband was in Purple Flight and their nickname was the Purple Pirates.

 Me with my handsome hubby.

..he was the flight commander for his class here.

The reward for these "Pirates" is the completion of flight school...

Purple Flight Class 88-05

My Handsome Hubby is on the farthest right in the 2nd row.

at the Graduation Ball

...as he pins on "mini-wings" onto my gown.

1988

and the treasures of a successful service in Army aviation are...the countless training and successful execution of various missions...the lives touched in many situations and locations...the service to their country...

*******

I graduated from the Armstrong Atlantic State University's dental hygiene program...
...this university's mascot is the Pirates.

 24 girls in the 2009 Dental Hygiene degree program,

The week before graduation.

I am in the top row, 3rd from the left.

Graduation day.

On the far left, with half of my class.

...the treasures attained with my dental hygiene license has been the rapport that I have been able to establish with my patients and their successes in attaining or maintaining healthy dental health...seeing those that previously were not comfortable or had past bad experiences in a dental office...become at ease.

*******

Our son was on the High School Varsity Soccer team, High School wrestling team, indoor and outdoor Lacrosse teams.  (We were very thankful and blessed that he regained his full physical strength and stamina after about a year since completing chemotherapy in 2005.)

The indoor Lacrosse team he was on, was called the Pirates. The treasures of that time, were not only game wins...but also the friendships and teamwork...the sense of completion and satisfaction of hard work, physical and mental skills...

Proud big sister Girly~Twirly and Heartbreaker 

before one of his indoor Lacrosse games.

2007

Heartbreaker with his other proud and big sister Girly~Whirly

after the game.

2007

******

Here are a few other recently completed art orders.

The stories behind each piece are treasures to me...

I truly love to hear who they are for...what the occasion...

why the particular images chosen to be drawn...the stories of those whose these were made for.

Thank you Pat (a friend through this wonderful world of blogging) for ordering this one for your husband. And thank you for your POST that shared the story behind the reason for these particular images that you chose to have drawn. & a big Thank you to your husband's military service as an Army aviator!

***

Thank you, Kimberly, for this order for your husband as he leaves this unit as their commander.  Thank you to your husband, so very much, for his military service and leadership of this Brigade Combat Team. (I first met Kimberly when our families were both stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky during 2002. She has been a repeat customer for Thank you and Farewell gifts to those in the various commands that her husband has had.)

***

This one was ordered by my "little" brother's group that graduated on September 23rd. I am so proud of his 17 years of service in the Navy and that he was one of the 50% that successfully completed this condensed and difficult course. Thank you to you and your classmates. This was presented to their 15 instructors as a thank you gift from their graduating class.

  

Joining in
...with Semper Wifey & Life with My Littles for Military Monday Blog Hop

...with Jenny's  Alphabe-Thursday's "X" 

...with Mel for Fancy Friday Blog hop.

I also was invited by our daughter to join in the fun with Pinterest!
Would love to invite you to follow me on Pinterest.

*one last thing...

...don't forget to enter if you are interested in the $50 NOVICA gift certificate Giveaway mentioned on my earlier post. This ends Sept 29th*

Opposites attract...

"Opposites attract..."  ...& yet, in so many ways... "two peas in a pod"

~ taken at our Hawaiian family wedding luau~

..My handsome hubby's mom sewed my blouse and his shirt.   

~1982~

We were married in Wisconsin with all of my dad's family present. And then we flew to Hawaii as newlyweds and I met his family and friends for the first time.

I was thinking how blessed I am that of all the people in the world, the Lord knew who was the one for me...

...that my handsome Hawaiian hunk's  first military duty assignment was in Holloman AFB, New Mexico...which was also my Air Force dad's last military assignment, before he retired.

Here are....

...& this phrase ~ "in or at the exact moment!" ~ , my hubby and I have said to each other...and it so very, very often fits how alike we are in so many ways.

Perhaps it is that we have grown to think more and more alike after knowing each other for almost 31 years and being married for over 29 years.

Yes, I am so very thankful and blessed to have a loving, caring, man who loves the Lord and his family with his whole heart.

 ~ taken in Hilo, Hawaii~

...about 28 years after he first brought me home as his new wife. 

~2010~

I love when we either say something "at the exact moment"... or one of us says something and the other was thinking the very same thing  "in the exact moment". (I do admit that I still like when we "coordinate colors" with what we are wearing, when we are out and about. haha)

Joining in 

...with  Marine parents, Life with my Littles, & Semper Wifey for Military Monday blog hop.

...with Trisha's Follow Me Wednesday.

...Free Pretty Things For You's Whatever You Want Wednesday.

...with Jenny's  Alphabe-Thursday's "O" 

...and with Alicia for Friday Photo Flashback. 

...and with Mel for Fancy Friday.

~~~~~~~~~

Here are some more art orders:

The first three were created for a husband and wife
...& whether they consider themselves "opposites" or "like two peas in a pod",  my well wishes to them on many, many years together to grow in love, laughter and memories.

Thank you Jordan for ordering yet another of the art that I do for another friend's wedding gift. The photo of the actual puzzle pieces to secure their envelopes that this couple used was such a creative idea. Like "pieces in a puzzle...a perfect fit."

This one is from a dear blogger friend! I love her ideas for this family tree.  LV, thank you again for another order and for your email:
"...I received my package today.  You did a marvelous job.  I truly like it and sure they will....Thanks so much for everything.  You are just the best in the line of sketching..."

Another dear blog friend sent me this email when hers arrived:
"I literally just got my picture from UPS!  I LOVE it!!!!  It's so awesome.  Thank you so, so much.  I can't wait to hang it up :-)"

 Thank you Kathie, it was fun to do your monogram with the style lettering you chose.!

And this one was an order for Kayla's husband with her email: " Thank you so much!!"

Thank you for thinking of this rank insignia for your husband and please give our thanks for your husband's military service!

Thank you also to Melodi for thinking of the art I do for a gift for her husband and thinking of tying in together his rank insignia and his unit crest! And thank you for your sweet email:

"You are a truly talented person! The art piece was in excellent condition when I received it, and thank you for rushing it to me..."

Thank you to your husband's military service.

D is for Date...

We had a wonderful visit this past weekend! 

....so blessed to be able to drive up to see and spend time with our kids.

We were able to spend time with Girly~Twirly and her hubby and his parents...

spend time with Girly~Whirly and see her boyfriend graduate from dental school, meet his family...

...celebrate Girly~Twirly's hubby's (Awesome) upcoming birthday...

...celebrate Heartbreaker's birthday with the whole family...

...havea  birthday breakfast with Heartbreaker and his girlfriend before we had to drive back 11 hours!

...celebrate Mother's day...

I took lots of photos, but will have to share those on a future post! 

I am busy with drawing orders, so will do a repost of sorts today.  

Taking parts of an old post and editing parts here:

I am  joining in this week's  Alphabe-Thursday's "D" with Jenny!

D is for DATE...

Mr. B called me up after being "shy" when he saw me at the commissary, the day after we met.  (Alamogordo, New Mexico)

He really is "Mr. Social man", so I thought that was so not "cool" when he basically passed me by as I was bagging groceries. 

Later, he tells me that he went to to pick up a couple of groceries knowing that I was working, but when he came by my line, he got cold feet. (Too cute!)  Thankfully, he got up the nerve and gave me a call.

Here's a picture of me "back in the day"...by my house phone...that I was "patiently" waiting to ring. (this photo was not actually taken on THE night that he had called me, but it is the phone and when I found this photo, I thought how neat that you can see the phone I was talking about...haha, that magical phone).

            

...so, our first date was to go to the theater on base.  

My title to this post is "First Date...Remembered?" 

because, all that we both remember was:  

1. He walked to my house from his barracks...

2. He met my parents and brother... 

3. We walked to the theater...

4. We sat in the theater (I do not even remember what movie was playing! I was too focused on Mr. B!  Since he has an awesome memory, I asked Mr. B tonight, if he was sure that he absolutely could not remember the movie...he couldn't... so that must mean that he was too focused on me. :o)

5.  After the movie, we walked back to my house.  

(When we first started dating, Mr. B did not own any "wheels", so we walked.  Living on a base or any military installation is pretty convenient. They are like little towns, with a grocery store, shopping store, fast food places, theater, bowling, gym, swimming pools, etc...) 

And like I mentioned, my dad was pretty strict... there were not too many places that I had permission to go.  We got to be pretty good bowlers :o)

***so as far as first dates go...not too much was remembered, except the "excited-to-be-near-him", butterfly-in-the-belly, "can't-believe-he-asked-me-out" feelings.  It definitely was the beginning to an amazing journey :o)*** 

~~~~~~~~~ 

Here are a few photos taken when we were dating:

Mr. B and my little brother. (I have no clue why they are pinching each other's cheeks!) haha

at my house, before my high school prom

close up of the "official" school prom photo

a classic 1981 prom pic!

Mr. B did  eventually buy a Scout from one of my dad's friends, so we didnt have to walk to every date ;o) 

It was a gas guzzler! 

I found this photo of Mr. B (in his tshirt and white corderoy shorts) washing his old Scout.

And here is a picture of Mr. B riding one of his friend's Harleys.  

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Here are some most recent orders.

Thank you Vicki (Change in a Bottle) for your order! It was fun to do the arrowhead and I love the quote that you sent me to add to the bottom.

Vicki emailed me when it arrived:

"YES! it was here when I came home today and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! ...

 ...I'll post on the blog about it and on FB too. Can't wait to get it framed and to dad on fathers day, he'll love it too:)"

This was taken from images that were on the wedding invitation/announcement. I just took the separate image of the one bird and drew it to the other images.

This was the wedding logo designed by the bride and groom that was on all their wedding invitations/website, etc...

Erika, Thank you again for ordering another military thank you gift from your unit's wives.

...I have more, but will post those next time.

Thanks for stopping... & I will be sure to return  your lovely visits... And I will be  posting the names of the two winners of the giveaway of the flags from last week. That giveaway ends this Friday, so will post the winners in my next week's post on May 18th. Please come back and check .

Zoo in Honolulu & giveaways too!

 ~~~ Z is for Zoo ~~~

We have been to other zoos besides the Honolulu zoo, but I am sharing these photos and memories, since this zoo is one that our children and my hubby have in common when they were little.

The first photo was taken in front of the Honolulu Zoo entrance.  My Handsome Hubby is the one hugging his momma.  They flew over from the "Big Island" to visit family on Oahu and went to the zoo while they were there.

I love that the boys were wearing matching shirts, shorts and "slippahs & shades" (slippers and sunglassess).

Mr. B was about 5 years old. His cute little sister is 13 months younger. And his big brother is 15 months older! 

This is such a cute shot of them watching the baby elephant. 

Next...

back to 3 years earlier...

The pigeons, doves, and other birds are a familiar sight at the Honolulu zoo...they know that they'll get food at any time. Mr. B (about 2 years old), his brother and dad were feeding them popcorn.

It looks like his dad was trying to keep Mr. B from chasing after the birds.

Here the two brothers are...free to try to catch one!

Mr. B's mom had put two albums (from birth to 7 years old filled with photos that have him in them and also his birthday cards and some special school programs) together specially for him and gave the albums to us after we were married. I love that she wrote captions underneath all the photos. 

 ~~~ Moving forward about 27 years! ~~~

We were blessed to get the assignment to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii right after Mr. B finished flight school.  Blessed to spend that time near enough to see and spend time with Mr. B's dad before he passed away.

...our Heartbreaker was born in Hawaii, so I think that's so neat that he was able to be follow his daddy, his daddy's daddy, his daddy's daddy's daddy by being the 4th generation born in Hawaii.

(It's neat to me, considering how mobile my life has been with being a military daughter and then a military wife).  

So, we tease, saying when he is married and his wife is ready to give birth, they'll have to fly to Hawaii, so that they can continue with the "being born in Hawaii" streak.

I tried to find our photos of when we were at the Honolulu zoo entrance, but cannot find any...

So, this was about that time frame. My Handsome Hawaiian Hubby holding Heartbreaker, with our sweet girls squeezing as close as they can to their daddy :o)

Mr. B, Heartbreaker, Girly~Whirly & Girly~Twirly

 Me and our three...

This was actually taken the day after Girly~Twirly's 7th birthday. We are posing by her new bike.

~~~ Two years later ~~~

...near the zoo...the many, many birds, whose lineage may have been of those when Mr. B was little.

..still there waiting for food!

Mr. B, Girly~Whirly and Girly~Twirly

Like Mr. B's mom, I liked to dress the girls alike... 

Thankfully, they thought it was fun to dress alike when they were little too. 

(Side note: Actually, even when they were grown, Mr. B and his brother & our girls have had times where they had not discussed wearing something similar, but meet up and see that they are dressed alike or pretty close to it!

...example: we were at a family get-together, and both brothers wore jeans and similar colored, plaid shirts....even more hilarious to us at the time was when two of their boy cousins (also grown with their own families) arrived...those brothers also were wearing similar plaid shirts! & I don't think it was because  plaid was necessarily more in fashion at that time).

...example with our girls: One year, in one of our family photos for our Christmas card, the girls had almost the identical sweater style and color...not planned).

In this photo, they aren't running after the birds, but Girly~Twirly and Heartbreaker are kicking a soccer ball. Girly~Whirly is by her daddy, showing or telling him about something.

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I am joining in with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY "Z".

&

Alicia for 

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK.

>>><<<

~~~~~

Here are some past art orders of some animals you can find at a zoo...

Oh also about this week's giveaway...It ends midnight April 9th. 

Please go to my previous post to enter & find out more details.

Thank you for stopping by! I love to find your comments.