Crawfords On The Move

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Treasure the OLD and experience the NEW!

***I have to start this post by recognizing that it was right around this time last year that we were informed our first placement as a Navy Family would be in Oak Harbor, WA. I remember we both rushed home to look at Google Maps and saw that it was probably the furthest placement, in the US, we could have been assigned. Many emotions ranging from excited, scared, overwhelmed, eager, sad, and confused raced through our minds. However, the biggest emotion was simply love the greatest thing we practiced was trust. Yes, there are many days when we miss the comforts of home, especially family and those dear and close friends. However, life was not made to be a perfect puzzle where we get to design and pick each piece and choose when to complete it. Life is made for the messy puzzle, the one you see at the Dollar Store and figure some pieces are missing and probably chipped. We have taken the not-so-perfect puzzle and made it perfect for us. Who knows where we will be in future assignment, but for now we are truly happy and loving each second of the opportunity we were given. Thank you for showing your love across the way through you Skype and phone dates, cards, texts, visits, and simply understanding that although we are miles away, we are still there in spirit!***

The past two weeks were a fantastic combination of celebrations, adventures, and even some relaxation. Kelly Doyle, a close friend since middle school, came to visit and the things we did in just three days still amazes me! We took the ferry over to Port Townsend for the day, visited downtown Coupeville and ate at the delicious "Knead and Feed," walked around and over Deception Pass, had pedicures at the "Seaside Spa," visited Freeland (south of the island), went to the shooting range, and watched the Superbowl at our place with friends! Robert had a dry-needling course off the island for the weekend, but he returned in time for the Superbowl. We were very happy with the ending, sorry to those of you who are 49ers fans :( .

To ring in good old 27 years of age, Robert took my into Seattle to Tula's Jazz Club. The food was delicious, the music was great, and we had front row seats by the baby grand piano. I couldn't have asked for more. The next day he made us blueberry waffles and then we took off for our Whidbey Island Wine and Chocolate Tour. The wines were all fabulous and the chocolate made it that much better ;) We made sure to stop off at a local distillery and look forward to their upcoming Whiskey release.

Bentley Bear and I took some time to head to the beach today and he loved running around in the sand and enjoyed not having a leash around his neck for a change. Fannie hung out with dad at home! The weather has been a mixture of rain and then pure sun. I have tried to take a morning photo each Friday, not only because I LOVE the sunrise, but because the colors and weather vary so much that the same view can appear drastically different.

Coming attractions for Crawford Clan:
1. Our "Winter Blues Party" is just around the corner along with Robert's early birthday surprise.
2. Visit to Stevens Pass to test our skies out on some new mountains. We loved Mt. Baker so I have a feeling we will enjoy the pass as well!
3. Reuniting with our third family member, Molly Poth, who will be traveling up from San Fran for a final visit before possibly, and sadly, moving back to the east coast.
4. Book Club/Poker Night
5. Staff Progressive dinner = Great Food!
6. Visiting the Olympic Peninsula, specifically to go to Hurrican Ridge
7. Last, but not least, ending the month of March with a trip to Whistler, BC

Happy February to y'all and thank you for keeping us posted with life on the east coast!!!

Knead and Feed, which was used as a set in "Practical Magic."

Getting our toes done at Seaside Spa, thanks to Robert

A HUGE highlight from my birthday (thank you Krissy Bean)!

Ferry over to Port Townsend

Deception Pass

Great friends last through the many miles :)

I love my husband and our adventures.

2.8.13 Sunrise

Bentley and mom traveled to Ala Spit for a Sunday morning stroll

I love my second graders creativity!!

Flashback to our honeymoon...

Superbowl party

He would be the King!

Where "Officer and Gentleman" was filmed.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

2013 = A year of tackling our West Coast Bucket List!

The month of January has seemed to escape us. I feel as if it were yesterday that I was writing the blog about our first Christmas in Washington and now we are headed into February with our first blog of the 2013 year.

We rang in the New Year with friends and found it funny that at 9 our time, while we were playing Cranium, that most friends on the East Coast were singing Happy New Year. I have to admit it is a different experience celebrating three hours later, but something we will get used to with time.

Our first goal for the year 2013 was to go skiing more often and practice for our upcoming trip to Whistler, BC. We, along with some friends, decided to go on our first ski adventure to Mount Baker. The first thing to note is how GIGANTIC the mountains here actually are and how fresh and fluffy the snow is that covers the mountains. We certainly found it different from skiing on ICE in Virginia, but closer to snow in Buffalo (actual snow). The best thing is once you finally reach the top of the various slopes it takes a solid 15 minutes to get back down to the bottom. We feel better prepared to tackle the mountains in Whistler/Blackcomb and will be headed to Stevens Pass for more skiing in February.

One of my new favorite Broadway shows, I think Robert's as well, is "Book of Mormon" which we were able to see at the Paramount Theater in Seattle. The theater itself was gorgeous but the musical was hilarious, witty and we loved the music. I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone as long as they have a sense of humor ;) My girlfriends "wine and relaxed Book Club" officially started and we are off to read our first book, which I have yet to order "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes. Robert will be hosting the upcoming guys Poker Night while we have our second Book Club so the timing is working perfectly. We have come to enjoy Game Nights even more with the dark days of winter setting in and the pups love having new visitors.

Robert's parents came into town this past weekend and have been enjoying the area and spending quality time with us and the grandpups as well. They have had a chance to visit Fort Casey, Greenbank Farms, take a couple ferry rides, Seattle and all of its' favorite stops, Ala Spit beach by our house, Robert's Command, my second grade classroom, and Portland, OR. We are already planning things to do outdoors when they are here again in the warmer months. Overall, we have enjoyed spending time together and giving them a taste of our life on Whidbey. I think they are loving the area and scenery as well as the dogs ;)

This coming weekend I have a close girlfriend from Middle School, Kelly Doyle, visiting and I have already begun planning our various activities. Robert, with thanks to the Navy, is taking a Dry Needling course, so he can take it back to the hospital for patients and be certified. With our birthdays both coming up, in the month of February, I have asked to go to a Jazz Club in Seattle and Robert has asked to go skiing for the day. We are having a "Winter Blues Party" over Valentine's Weekend as is tradition started by his aunt and uncle in Virginia. We figured with all the Holidays passing and it being so cold and wet outside we mine as well find a reason to celebrate.

Looking forward to the month of February and hope y'all have had a wonderful start to 2013 as well!!!

New Years 2013

Mt. Baker

View from the bridge at Deception Pass

Looking out at Port Townsend while standing at Fort Casey

Adorable cheese block chairs at Greenbank Farms

Paramount Theater in Seattle, WA

Slight fog surrounding Mt. Baker, but the water is a crystal blue

Saturday, December 29, 2012

The closing of an EXCITING and EVENTFUL year in our life and the beginning of a new, just as EVENTFUL and FUN-FILLED year!

I find it hard to believe that this will be our last post before the New Year! So many wonderful events and people have come into our lives this past year. We were reflecting on where we were at this time last year and amazed at the things that have changed for us. Some of the changes were hard such as moving FAR away from those we love the most, leaving a school where I adored my co-teachers and kiddos, and of course being farther away from JMU. Some of the changes were easy such as moving to a beautiful location where each day you have to pinch yourself to check that you aren't in a dream, meeting wonderful people through the military and school, finding my true place as a teacher at a Title 1 school and loving the staff and kids more than I could have imagined, Robert loving each second of his job even though there are more demands and sacrifices, and completing our family by gaining Bentley and Fannie Crawford. Overall, we have become a stronger family because of all these changes and look forward to years ahead of moving, but growing together. Having faith in ourselves and God is what gave us the courage to change and showed us the ways in which change needed to be made. Thanks to all of you, our family and friends, for making our lives better and supporting us even when it was difficult.

We spent the Christmas Holiday in Whidbey Island, which was our first time being away from both families. The nice thing is we were able to Skype with both Christmas morning, while at the same time start our own family traditions that we plan to take into future Christmas celebrations. Yes, the pups were included in many of our new traditions. We had a delicious Christmas dinner with some friends and I had my first taste of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which was awesome! Christmas dinner consisted of steaks, twice baked potatoes, garlic and cheese biscuits, and of course a vegetable medley. We relaxed quite a lot this break which was a good thing because this past Wednesday I found out I have mono. Throughout the winter I have continued to get sick, extremely tired, and been sore quite often so I finally went to the doctor after being sick for the fourth time and asked for a blood test. Sure enough the results came back that it is mono, which in a way is a relief because I started to feel like a lazy bones. However, it hasn't stopped me from running around, but I will be resting up and trying my best to relax these next couple of weeks.

Some highlights from the two previous weeks:

1. OHE Staff Holiday Party at our house was a success and a great way to ring in the Holidays.

2. Robert's Wardroom Holiday dinner was wonderful and delicious (so I was told...had a teacher training).

3. My kiddos Winter Concert was adorable, hilarious, entertaining, and great!

4. Finding and becoming members of a church, Whidbey Presbyterian Church, and finding joy in spending advent Sunday with the congregation.

5. Adopting Fannie Crawford our 7 1/2 year old Goldendoodle. She was a breeding dog in Spokane, Washington and we were lucky to find her. Bentley adores her and they already cuddle at night!

6. I started learning how to knit thanks to a great teacher friend who makes her own sweaters!!! I am very excited to continue learning.

Coming Attractions:

1. Ringing in New Years by having a game-night with some friends (Robert's last night of being on-call :)! )

2. Officially kicking off my Book Club/Wine Club!

3. Having lunch with SARA STERNER (one of my coworkers, dear friends, and mentor from ATS) in Centralia, WA while she is here for a quick visit.

4.Robert is going on fishing trips and we are learning/taking a class to fly-fish (probably in the spring though)

5. Skiing at Mt. Baker this coming Friday

6. *Heading into Seattle to see "BOOK OF MORMON!!!!!!!!!!"

7. *Robert's parents are coming for their first trip to Whidbey Island, WA the end of January!!!!!!!!!!! I will have many photos to share and updates from their trip. The grandpups are looking forward to seeing their other amazing grandparents!

We wish you all a beautiful, wonderful, enjoyable, memorable, and loving start to the New Year!!!

One of the many centers for the kiddos Holiday Celebration.

Time to knit!

One of the many beautiful sunsets in Whidbey

Snuggle bunnies already.

Playtime!

Delectable Christmas Eve dinner with friends!!!

One of our favorite movies to watch at Christmas!

Our beautiful tree.

Robert has good taste ;)

So do I :)

Ready to go skiing at Mt. Baker!!!

Time for fishing.

Searching for the Christmas Pickle, which is not always easy.

Christmas dinner at our house.

Home for our first Christmas in Whidbey.

Sleeping cheek to cheek.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

A very merry Thacher-Crawford Thanksgiving in Whidbey!!!

This was the first official year that Robert and I were both away from our home. We were fortunate enough to have my mom and dad, a.k.a. Mom and Dad Thacher, with us to celebrate our first Thanksgiving in Washington. Throughout the week they were here we did many different and exciting things. Mom and dad were able to to meet many of the friends we have made, travel to Port Townsend, ride the ferry, explore some museums, eat at our favorite "nice" place on the island "The Oystercatcher," visit Greenbank Farm, tool around Seattle, have dinner at the Space Needle, visit the King Tut Exhibit, travel around the Naval Base and visit Robert at work (dad got a private session), explore some of Anacortes, and come into my classroom to meet my kiddos and coworkers. Overall, we enjoyed spending quality time with them and Bentley loved meeting his grandparents. Even though the week flew by it was so nice waking up to their laughter and going to sleep with their familiar and comforting voices. If you know anything about us Thachers, you know we are not ones to be quiet and always come ready for a good time! Saying goodbye was certainly not easy, but knowing we will see them again in August puts a big smile on our faces. I always have a list of "summer" activities for us to do and one of them is having Jewell Thacher go crabbing ;)

In addition to the photos from Thanksgiving I have added some from our more recent trip we took with some friends to Leavenworth, WA. Each year they host the Leavenworth Christmas Lighting Festival and it truly put us into the Christmas spirit. You couldn't help but feel as if you were in a perfect Winter Wonderland! We enjoyed the caroling, lighting ceremony, tooling around the shops, eating a fabulous Italian restaurant, and staying at the 59er's Cabins. The cabins were certainly an experience!

We will be spending the Christmas Holiday in Whidbey and this will be the first time we have our own Christmas. Robert is on-call for duty throughout Christmas and New Years so we are planted in Washington. I find comfort in knowing that I get to spend my first Christmas with Robert and am excited to make our own traditions. We already have some Christmas dinner plans with friends as many other military families will be here for Christmas. If there is one thing we have learned, in our short time as a military family, it is that your friends become your family. We are fortunate to have met amazing people and look forward to continuing new friendships and traditions!

The Crawford Clan will be very busy up and through Christmas. I volunteered to host the OHE teacher staff Holiday Party at our house so we are already prepping and decorating. We have a couple Holiday Dinners and housewarming parties along with school concerts and parties. We hope y'all have a Happy Holidays and wonderful Christmas. We miss you, love you, and will be thinking of you!!!

59er's Cabin Diner (good food and shakes)

Oh little town of Leavenworth.

Bringing out the lights!

The Wright family visited and mom was able to meet
Kathryn Wright, who Nana used to babysit and happens
to live in Whidbey and teach at OHE as well :)