USS Anzio

Our Independence Day celebrating actually began on the evening of the 3rd.  Allen and I were invited to the 4th of July celebration with the US Embassy  in Nassau aboard the USS Anzio. 
Do you like History?  I do, so here you go…
Here is a brief history of what makes Anzio an incredibly important name in U.S.  History.  Anzio is an area in Italy where the Allies fought and held off the Germans in the second World War.  Although that does not sound terribly remarkable, it is is important for a number of reasons.  Because the Allies were able to hold the beach, Germany was forced to send two corps that were initially headed to Normandy to fight the Allies and try to push them back out to sea.  This weakened the forces at Normandy allowing the Allies a victory there.  These victories were not without great loss.  The Allies lost 28,000 lives in nearly 6 months at Anzio.  In one measure of the courage and sacrifice of those who fought there, 23 Americans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the most of any single battle of World War II.
USS ANZIO  is the second US naval ship to be named in honor of the men and women who served at Anzio. She is dedicated to preserving the freedom won on the Anzio beachhead while keeping alive the legacy of the boundless bravery and fighting spirit of each Anzio veteran.
Makes me tear up just thinking about the bravery shown there and everywhere else by our amazing military.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming!
Our evening on the USS Anzio was a really fun evening that ended with some amazing fireworks.

I’ve never been so close to fireworks before.  One of the good (but a little alarming) things here is that they are not that concerned with liability, so they can do fireworks right over a crowd!
The next day we were allowed to tour the USS Anzio with the family.  As the daughters of a Naval Aviator, my sister and I loved it.  The boys and Allen enjoyed it too.

Miller loves warning signs so he was in heaven!  Look at all these!
Thank you to the Crew of the USS Anzio for the tour, but more importantly, thanks for serving our country and preserving our freedom.

Canada Day

When we moved to the Bahamas I had no idea that I would begin celebrating Canada Day as well as the 4th of July and Bahamian Independence.  Here we have lots of Canadian friends, Bahamian friends as well as American friends.
Our friends and neighbors have a fun Canada Day party every year and are kind enough to invite us non Canadians to their party.  My sister even got to celebrate Canada day for the first time.
The hostess!

Canada tatoos for everyone!
I made these cookies for the occasion.  Yes, those crazy Canadians really do say “eh?” after most sentences!

Singing “Oh Canada”

Lots of crazy children in the pool AND the canal! (we only allow swimming in the canal when it is Canada Day and a full moon)

We ended Canada Day with some sparklers.

Thanks T. family for letting us celebrate your country’s independence with you!

Mom of the Year

When I have some of those not-so-proud mothering moments I often refer to just missing the title of Mother of the Year.  I was so close-- until that boy jumped in the fountain and would. not. get. out!  And because he made me get him out I may (or may not) have spanked him outside the restaurant. 
Or was it that time (Ok I do it all the time) that I fed them protein bars for dinner.
Or was it that time when I locked us out of the house, I knew no one and didn’t know hubby’s phone number, then one of the boys fell in the canal and had to wear my tank top until hubby showed up and rescued us.
There is also my parenting book that will be coming out any day now.  Just finishing up the last chapter titled “How to take your kid to a bar and hold your head high”.  I KID!
Recently, I saw this video and it pretty much sums it up.


Do you think these two want to be my friend?  I think we could have a blast together!

Flashback Friday

We have a slideshow of pictures on our computer for the screensaver.  I love having some of our old pictures pop up and surprise us.
The boys love it too and are always saying things like, “Remember when I stole Miller’s pacis?”
Here are a few from 2010.  So hard to believe that Miller is the very same age right now that Jackson was then.



Sweet memories…………..

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

As the school year wound down I was looking on Pinterest for a graduation gift for our babysitter.  I didn’t find anything much interesting (that I was willing or able to make), but I did find an idea.
Just before the school let out, I sent a copy of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go for his teacher to sign. The idea is to have teachers sign it each year and then to give it to Jackson at graduation.
I sent a little explanation with the book.


My photography book will be out very soon.  Right after my parenting book!
When I sent it, I had no idea what she would write, but hoped it would be something special.  She completely nailed it.

Dear Jackson,
I wish you all the courage of your Kindergarten self as you arrive at all the places you are going in your life.  even though I knew you at the beginning of your journey, you had already proved to have the qualities of someone who would be going far in life.  Best of luck on this next adventure and remember you can achieve any goal you set your mind to, just like you did in Kindergarten.
Love Always,
Mrs. Cathopoulis
Kindergarten 2012
How sweet is that? It made me do the ugly cry.  The next teachers have huge shoes to fill.  I can only hope that all the boys teachers are half as dedicated and caring as Mrs. Cathopoulis has been.