Christmas, 2 Birthdays, and a Great Surprise!

I know I am behind the power curve on getting this posted, but every time I try to get on the computer, I end up doing completely unrelated things, like balancing my checkbook online. I know, I am such a barrel of excitement. : )

Christmas was pretty jolly this year - and now that I think about it, it was pretty loud, too! Anytime you cram a bunch of Colon siblings and their families under one roof, you end up with a house of rambunctious mischief and rehashing of old stories and memories. We inevitably talk, tease, cuddle, and act like your typical crew of miscreants who can think of no better way to show our love for each other - and I think it totally rocks. I meant to take a slew of photos, but was having so much fun pulling my brother's hair and teasing my nieces and nephews that I kept forgetting to actually use the darned camera. Luckily, my brother's wife Charline and my niece Iliana took enough to satisfy my quota. Here are a couple:

Jose's three kids (Joseito, Miguel, and Arianna) along with two of mine (Amir and Johnny)

Tata and I...boy, do I have a large head or what?

The next day, we packed up early in the morning and headed out to Lancaster, PA, to spend the weekend at this wonderful hotel that we have been going to for years. The Amish country is just so peaceful and family-friendly, and the kids were begging to go. We thought it would be a nice way to celebrate our respective birthdays, as well. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that my oldest son Amir and I are "December babies." If you have ever had your birthday near a significant holiday, you may share my pain on that one (LOL) - as a result I don't usually do much to celebrate my birthday, because it is somewhat redundant when everyone else is still on the holiday high. It's actually kind of ironic because when I think back to when Amir was born, I can still (vividly!) remember spending that particular birthday in labor! What a gift, right? But, I digress.

Despite the freezing cold, we had a blast shopping (well, at least Mom and Isa and I did) while the boys swam, played, and basically exhausted their grandfather running here and there and everywhere. Isa also got in on the swimming fun - thank goodness for the indoor water park - and took particular joy in kicking water all over anyone who dared to come near. Some more pics for your viewing pleasure:

Now for the best part. As you probably know, we came out here minus my husband because he was set to deploy overseas during the holidays. I have to admit, although I am used to him being here one minute and gone the next, I was missing him quite a bit. And based on how he was sounding during our telephone conversations, he apparently felt the same. He was scheduled to leave Hawaii on my birthday, so after that point we no longer chatted. The days passed on and my mother and I had just finished cooking up a storm for our family and friends who were coming over to spend New Year's Eve with us. The doorbell rang and when I opened it, there stood Isaiah! Oh, I can't tell you how excited and happy I was! I jumped around for awhile and then kind of attached myself to him while he explained how he got there. The short version of it is that his flight to his location had been delayed, and he ended up in Baltimore with a free evening on his hands. So he rented a car, drove up to NJ, and poof! Ended up on our doorstep. What a blessing that we had some extra time with him before he departed - we didn't really get to say a proper good-bye when we left Hawaii because of work and all of the rushing around prior.

New Year's Day rolled around and Isaiah had to drive back down to catch his flight - I think it was easier for me this time around, but it was much harder for him and the kids to say good-bye. One of the things about deploying is that you often have to get your mind in the right place before you leave. I know he was happy to see us, but I think having that so fresh in his memory made it a bit more difficult for him to leave without shedding a tear or two. And Isa didn't make it any better - she is quite the Daddy's girl, and I pretty much had to pry her away from him as he walked to the car. That made me tear up, and him too!

But all in all, I must say that this was a memorable holiday. I am getting ready to return to Hawaii next week, and while I will be glad to get back to some warm weather, I will miss my family terribly. I also do not relish the thought of returning to an empty house. But as one of my church friends always takes care to remind me, it isn't really empty, is it? God is always present, and that is ultimately the best kind of reassurance as I get ready to assimilate back into my typically hectic and somewhat harried schedule.

We would really appreciate any prayers you could send our way - especially for Isaiah, whose job often requires him to fly into less than ideal places. And while I am not an especially mushy person, I just have to say this one thing: I am SO thankful to have you all as my family and friends!

Feliz Navidad!

With much love and joy, we want to wish everybody out there a Merry, Merry Christmas! May God bless you during this beautiful holiday!

Back to the Sticks!

Nah, I'm kidding, really. So what if I grew up in an area where we give directions based on landmarks rather than street names? LOL....I am back in NJ and loving it already. Of course, one of the wacky things about coming back after you have been gone for awhile is that you notice how much has changed in your absence. Almost like you thought that everything should have stayed the same while you were gone, you know? But c'est la vie (I probably didn't even spell that correctly, so forgive me if you speak French)...

So let me tell you about the trip...if you have kids, perhaps you understand the stress of traveling with children for long distances. I think one of the troubles with living on an island is that you can't exactly drive to your destination on the mainland. Even though you would technically be trapped for long stretches of time with your kids in a car, you don't have to inflict them on other people in a confined area of space. If you have to regulate on them, it's your business and nobody is looking at you like they are about to call Child Protective Services. But airplanes...oh, my. I try really hard to prepare myself for the plane trips - I get toys and gadgets for entertainment, the portable DVD for distraction, a favorite stuffed animal/blanky, and of course, extra meditative breathing exercises and a nice, extended prayer that we not only have a safe trip, but that I don't completely lose my mind in the process. God certainly granted my wishes in His own way, LOL...I have to believe that He was giving me an opportunity to improve my skills in the area of patience!

We were traveling on a night flight, and I was operating under the assumption - or hope, rather - that all 3 would pass out once we got to cruising altitude. No problem there with my two boys. But for some reason, Isa decided that this particular airplane was not doing it for her. She did not want to sleep, she wanted to run around. Needless to say, the aisles of airplanes these days are not exactly the widest places in the world, so that got old pretty fast. Next attempt was the DVD player. I don't think Isa realized that the people around her did not want to hear her recite verbatim the dialogue (and songs, mind you!) to "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." So I attempted bribery with food - I know, bad Mommy! But alas, the goldfish and juice only went so far, because my little terror was tired and fighting sleep like crazy.

I don't know about you, but I absolutely hate it when you are trying to calm down your child, and everyone is making that face like, "Can she PLEASE get that kid under control?" So sue me, maybe I have had that thought myself at times...but now I realize how much it sucks, especially when you know that under most circumstances, your child is a well-behaved creature. Well, those were the faces I saw while Isa and I battled for supremacy over her desire to holler and cry in a plane full of folks attempting to sleep. The sleeping giant eventually took over - HALF AN HOUR LATER - and mercifully, she finally passed out. Did I mention that I went and hid in the bathroom for 10 minutes afterwards? I was so frazzled at that point that I couldn't sleep myself!

I stayed awake throughout the entire flight (thank you, Lord, that the tailwinds were fierce - our usually 10-11 hour flight took only 9 hours!) and we made it to Newark only a little worse for wear. And boy, was it cold! It actually was raining (hailing?) ice while we drove down the turnpike to my parents house in "P-Town." When I finally went to bed the first night, I slept from about 10:30 pm until 1200 pm the next day! Man, I was exhausted.

But I was definitely ready to head outdoors on Wednesday! First stop: commissary. On the way to Fort Dix and McGuire, I got nostalgic and drove on the back roads past Garden Terrace to see where my old house was. And then I got kind of sad - it no longer exists. Torn down with all the rest of the decrepit, outdated homes from back in the day, and replaced with this housing that is just so beautiful. And don't get me wrong, in retrospect, my old house was not a prize...if I am being honest, it kind of looked like a small, extended white box that was plopped on earth back in the 60's. But I still remember that it was my very first home as an adult, and both times my Dad was stationed on Fort Dix we lived in the same neighborhood, in homes exactly like it. Sniff, sniff....memories....

....but the homes are still gorgeous! Who knows, if we get stationed back at McGuire, we may move back into that neighborhood! Nice thought to ponder over.....anyway, I hit up the commissary to stock up on a few things that I just can't live without, food-wise, and then the PX/BX. Isabella scammed us out of an Elmo doll that won't shut up. I thought it was the cutest thing ever until she decided that we all should hear every single one of his programmed phrases, over and over and OVER again. I think my ears are bleeding. Needless to say, Elmo got sent to bed for the night and is now sitting on a shelf until tomorrow.

I also got to take a brief trip to Target...and almost sighed in sheer bliss as I walked into the store. See, there are certain stores that do not yet exist in Hawaii, and Target is one of them. And I LOVE THAT STORE. I have been suffering from separation anxiety without it (just for the record, Hawaii also does not have Victoria's Secret, JC Penney, Bath and Body Works...but they recently acquired an Express, however, and I hear rumors that they are thinking of opening a Target, but we shall see. Don't get my hopes up). Anyway, I picked up a cart full of stuff and even got most of my Christmas shopping knocked out. Woo hoo!

And now I am in my Dad's office, where I have commandeered his computer so I can catch up with all of you. My fingers are freezing and I am starting to yawn, so this must mean it is time to wrap things up. But first, I have to add one thing: Ike, if you are reading this, I love you and we miss you, too!

I will keep you updated on our adventures in the Garden State. I plan on seeing a lot of my family and friends, so there should be plenty to write about! 'Til then...

Rolling on a Jet Plane....

Happy happy, joy joy, happy happy, joy joy....yup, I am doing my famous happy dance (well, famous to my friends who have seen it, LOL) because tonight, we are boarding a plane for Jersey! Oh, and let me tell you what happened yesterday - I promise there's a point. It's funny, I was walking around in Wal-Mart and started chatting with another lady who was in town on vacation. We were discussing what we planned on doing for the holidays...hey, Wal-Mart was crowded and occasionally I like to strike up conversations with perfect strangers. Totally not a Jersey thing to do, but oh well. So I mentioned that I was flying back to the East Coast for the holidays, and she looked at me like I suggested we go out back and smoke a crack pipe or something. She then asked rather nastily, "Why on EARTH would you want to leave a beautiful place like this to go out THERE?" Like Jersey is the armpit of the nation or something. Hey, let's clarify something - I am from SOUTH JERSEY, land of farms and cows. Completely different from the stereotypical place depicted on TV (Sopranos, anyone?) Really, we should be divided into two different states...but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, the interesting thing about her question was that at another point in my life, I probably might have seen her point.

But that's where the change lies...as much as I love it here, and as much as I love the life we have managed to carve out for ourselves with our dear friends and children, the bottom line is that sometimes it feels a little empty without my parents, brothers, sister, and the rest of the Colon crew. It's hard when there is this huge time difference, and something exciting happens, and the first thing I want to do is call somebody out there and can't. Or when I hear about the milestones in people's lives that I have missed, or will not be present for, like birthdays, graduations, hospital stays, weddings, etc...

But no complaints - just sharing - because that's life in the military. I am simply happy that I will get to spend some time playing catch up with awesome friends, much-loved family, and even try to appreciate a bit of the cold weather...after all, I do miss my winter clothes and I am getting to be something of a thin-blooded pansy out here, LOL....

So back to the lady in Wal-Mart. I didn't even hesitate. I just smiled and told her, "My husband is deploying overseas, so we will not be fortunate enough to spend the holiday season together. However, I AM fortunate to say that if I cannot be with him, I am blessed to spend Christmas with the folks I love best in the world."

That sums it up pretty well, don't you think?

My Football Players

Wordless Wednesday - Reminiscing

Isabella then:

Isabella now:

I've Been Tagged!

Woo-hoo, I've been tagged by my cousin Ruth! My directions were: Go to My Pictures, then click on the 4th folder, and then the 4th picture in it. Done, done, and done! Here is this picture:

Here are my paternal grandparents, better known to us kids as Papito and Mamita. I was only a few years old when Papito died, so I never really knew him. However, all of us did know Mamita, and when I say she was quite a lady, I mean it. There are many things we all loved about her, but for me, there are three things that stand out the most:

1. She made the best banana pancakes.

2. She always kept a container full of Smarties for her grandchildren, and whenever we would visit, she would make sure to give one to each of us.

3. She was the most incredible prayer warrior I ever had the pleasure to know. Every night, she would kneel by her bed (it didn't matter whether she was home, or staying at one of her children's homes) and pray, often for what seemed like hours. And the beautiful thing was, according to my father, was that she would pray - by name - for every person in our whole, gigantic family. How awesome is that?

When she died in 1991, I know it created a void for so many people. Talk about an inspirational person!

Wow, I am so glad I got tagged - this brought back some great memories! Thanks, Ruth!

Now it is Elizabeth's turn over at The Mommy...etc. You've been tagged!

I Know It's Still Early...

...but I couldn't wait! I absolutely love Christmas! We did a Hawaiian tree, too:

Now if we could just get some snow....just kidding!

Let's Try Something New

I am a shoe lover. Stiletto, boot, wedge, flat, sneaker - doesn't matter, I just adore them. I keep my collection in individual, clear plastic shoe boxes stacked (by color and style, mind you) on the shelves of my closet. My favorites used to be this gorgeous pair of strappy, black leather stilettos that always made me feel like a total babe...something that was much needed on the weekends after wearing combat boots and a fairly masculine uniform five days a week! They looked like this:

But alas, stay-at-home motherhood has prompted me to move on...I now tend to sport a "Mommy" uniform most days, or my workout gear. So, I have a new favorite pair of shoes:

These are my Vibram Five Finger Sprints, and whoa, are they great. I know, I know, they're funny looking, aren't they? It never fails, whenever I step out in these bad boys I get stared at by people who are probably wondering why it looks like I have gloves on my feet. But let's keep it real, the first time I saw them myself, even I had to do a double-take. My initial thoughts? Weird.

When I first started doing the Crossfit thing, I saw tons of people wearing them. They would explain that it was the closest thing to working out barefoot, and I would just think, "why on earth would I want to do that? I have my faithful, broken-in pairs of running shoes - and they rock!"

But as I began progressing in my workouts, I realized that those people had a point. My sneakers actually seemed to weigh me down when I would sprint, or throw me off balance when I would attempt a handstand push-up or do dips on the parallel bars. So I bit the bait, and spent an afternoon navigating the streets of dowtown Honolulu with Isaiah, trying to find the ONE store that actually sold them on the island. (Okay, in all fairness, I could have bought them online - but I hate paying shipping! I guess I'm cheap like that with some things.)

Anyway, we each got a pair - once we finally found the store, that is - and strapped them on for our next workout. And you know what, my skepticism disappeared once I hit the gym. I saw such an improvement in the way I moved - my stride changed, I felt lighter, and my balance was WAY better. Check out our handstand push-ups at the squadron gym:

Not bad at all. But the final test, of course, was when I went on one of my long distance runs. These shoes held up wonderfully during circuit training and sprints around the track, but I wasn't quite sure as to how this whole "barefoot" thing would work when it came to the outdoors. Especially when I would venture off the beaten path. And especially after being spoiled by my comfy, cushiony Nike's.

The first time I tried them outdoors, I went on a two-mile test run. At first, my natural reaction prompted me to overcompensate for the lack of "spring" in my shoes; I would find myself tensing up, or trying to hop up on my toes.

But once I started to relax, everything else fell into place. Nice, quick cadence, a soft landing, a swift and light step, and it was almost impossible for a hard heel strike - oh, and it was an incredible calf workout, too! Over the past months, I have managed to shave a minute off of the running time for my PT test. I think that qualifies as results, don't you? : )

Hey Mickey! Hey, hey, hey Mickey!

Guess what? I actually managed the act of being spontaneous and flexible at the same time! Want to hear more?

(Of course you do).

Well, since you are just begging to find out (ha-ha), here it goes. There was an Air Force convention being held out in Anaheim, California from Thursday through Sunday last week. A few days prior, my good friend Denise came up with the fabulous idea that we should pack up the kids (she has two, I have my three) and catch a hop (for the unfamiliar, that is when you catch a free ride on a military jet) for a little mini-vacation. She figured that we could have some fun and take the kids to Disneyland for a couple of days while the men were at the convention. My immediate answer was no...an organization freak like myself thought it was too "short notice" to actually just pack up and go at the drop of a hat. But lo and behold, I reconsidered and said "what the heck!" - shocking! - and things began rolling from there. And to make it even better, our other close friends Keith and Reshon decided to join in on the spontaneity and fly out with their three rugrats...so you can imagine that we were quite a group! Here are some pics from our trip:

The kids posing before we got on the tram for Disney...don't let Isa's sweet face fool you, she was a wild child!

The boys mugging for the camera...I didn't know until later that we weren't supposed to climb on these rocks! Oops!

Isa and her Papi grinning on Main Street

One of the rides in "Kiddyland"...I ended up going on all of them

Try spinning around in one of these teacups and then standing up...I almost fell on my face!

'Nuff said...

Can you imagine having to be the one to plant this? If it were me, poor Mickey would be missing an eye and probably an eyebrow, LOL....

All in all, we had a kick-butt time over in Cali. Our pockets are a bit lighter but I must say, there are some things that are definitely worth it, and this was one of them. We got back late Sunday night, and I am completely wiped out. Though not enough to stop me from unpacking everything and doing a couple of loads of laundry before I went to bed. You know me, neurotic as always : )