Kumquats and such

Georgetown Cupcakes really are the greatest dessert E-V-E-R!  These ladies are amazing: In case you're unfamiliar with the story - these two sisters (Sophie and Katherine) quit their jobs and opened a cupcake shop in Washington D.C.  They currently have a show on TLC that follows their day-to-day lives as the most loved cupcake bakers in the country.  Now, I have seen my DC friends comment about Georgetown Cupcakes on their Facebook pages, but I wasn't sure what the deal was.  Then, about a week or two before Reagan was born, MIL and I watched D.C. Cupcakes on TLC.  Soon after, I looked up their website   and begged FIL to bring some down to Jacksonville.  This was no easy task, as I had to explain to him why these cupcakes cost $2.75 a piece(!) and that the line typically wraps around the block:)  But luckily he gave in quite easily and during his lunch break the day before he came down to NC, he walked in the 95-degree heat to pick up the (pre-ordered - a must to avoid the

A few days after Jason returned, we went on a bit of a shopping spree.  As most new parents do, we quickly purchased a video camera.  Now I remember the days of my dad's shoulder-mounted tape recording device that was the latest and greatest in the world of video cameras.  Take a few giant leaps forward and you have the Sony HandyCam.  This little guy fits snugly in the palm of my hand, has 60x optical zoom and records up to 16GB!  Also, it takes still shots!  Now I never thought I'd own a video camera, but this is going to be so important when Jason is deployed again next year. I'll be able to record Reagan on a daily basis and upload the data onto a DVD and send it overseas.  Man, I'm really starting to like technology.  Which brings us to the next big purchase... Yes, we're officially converting to a Mac.  With a bit of persuasion from Geoffrey, we were convinced that all the troubles we have gone through with this computer I'm currently using will no lo

Right after Reagan was born, my sister & her husband were about to embark on their 2nd cross-country journey in a 30-day span!  And this second trip was in Sean's truck with Nessie in tow...sounds like fun, right?!  Well, about 2 weeks prior to this trip, I asked Jessica if she and Sean would alter their route to come through NC and meet Reagan.  Her response, "Nah, newborns don't really do much.  I'll just come back and see her when she's older and more active."  Boy was I not happy!  Turns out she was just luring me into her trap...to SURPRISE ME with a visit!!! She and Sean spent not just one, but 2 days with us and we thoroughly enjoyed their visit.  Tommy and Daisy were also happy to see Nessie.  And while Jessica was a natural with the baby, I cannot say as much for Sean:)  (To be perfectly honest, I think Jess managed to get him to NC by promising him that he could play Mario Bros. on the Wii.)  All in all, it was a wonderful visit and I'm so

Yesterday at 3:45, the Marines from Charlie Company, 1/9 returned from a 7-month deployment.  Among those welcoming home their loved ones were a fiance (engaged just 2 months before the deployment started), an expectant mother (due in 5 weeks), and numerous parents & siblings.  Most importantly to our family...yesterday was the day Jason met Reagan!  Just one day shy of being 3 weeks old, Reagan donned her "I Love Daddy" outfit and braved the sun and heat to meet her father.  It was quite possibly the most amazing moment of my life to date.  I'm not usually one for tears, but this was one of those moments... Of course we can't forget our other "baby." It was a wonderful homecoming, with an extra surprise for Jason...his dad and brother, Geoffrey, came back down to NC for the big event.  It's something I'm sure we'll remember forever.  Couldn't have asked for a better day! If this doesn't make you smile...I'm not sure anyt

Took advantage of Cindi being here to make a quick trip to the store & meet a couple new friends for lunch today.  Even though Reagan's not quite 3 weeks old yet, it definitely felt strange to be without her.  Don't get me wrong, I certainly enjoyed the outing:) And the best news yet is that I can count the hours until Jason gets home to meet Reagan!!! 

From the moment our little girl made her arrival into this world, she has been loved by so many people.  One of those people is her Uncle Geoffrey.  Now I've had the pleasure of knowing Geoffrey for a few years, and while I constantly speak of what a genuinely nice guy he is, I had no idea what to expect from him when he met his niece for the first time.  Words cannot describe just how much help he was be and how much he bonded with her in just a short week. Hopefully the pictures will tell the story.  Still at the hospital, Geoffrey waited to hold her until I got a chance to!  He was a natural. Just watching... One of her favorite places to sleep:) This was around 5:30 in the morning.  He stayed there until she woke up.  Seriously, could he be any sweeter? This picture defines contentment!  Geoffrey, the only technologically savvy one in the bunch, was responsible for communicating with Jason who was eagerly awaiting news on the USS Nassau.  He sent email updates and pictures