Monday Mortals

We had the pleasure of catching up with an Oki friend recently. She happened to be JD's 3rd grade teacher when we moved to the rock, and soon became a friend of the family's. Ms SeeTai (her for real person name is Tara), and her son came to Wiesbaden from Italy for the European HS Wrestling Championships. Tai did good for his first year considering I would have pulled my kid out of there screaming "Don't hurt my BABY!" Have you ever seen young kids get wrestled to the ground with their neck bended back and their eyes rolling back into their head? It was disturbing for me to watch. This is another reason why I can't stomach the idea of watching a UFC fight. Scare Me!!

Anyway, luckily it was close to lunchtime when we got there so we headed out to a Greek place and did some catching up. They are really nice people and it was awesome to have a former Oki peep to reminisce with. Saige and Tai are in the same grade and I fondly remember him hanging at our house a few summers ago. While it was short and sweet, I appreciate the time we had and the laughter. Hope to see them on a future trip to Italy soon...

Mortals are Vastly Approaching...

I am finally getting back on my blog schedule starting next week. Mortals, Without Words, and Foodies...Oh My!! As a warm-up, I wanted to reintegrate a mortal post this week (it has been on my mind to share this anyway).

When we were back in AZ, our first walk into Maria's house was one I will never forget. She had this display of photos spanned all across the opposite side of her kitchen cabinets. It featured photos of both Isla Families with our kids. It was breathtaking and definitely a conversation piece throughout our many visits to her house. I took several shots and then stitched them together to make a life-like panoramic view so you could get the full effect. THIS is just a sample of what I have been talking about when I tell everyone how proud she was of her children and grandchildren...

(click to see it closer)

I Heart Faces - Thankfulness!

Monday Mortals will be in the form of the I ♥ Faces post this week.

The task is to write who/what you are thankful for in a story of photos. My mortal this week fits BIG TIME!! For my hubby George....

As a young boy,

I'm sure he was really "helpful" around the house....just like he is now! He is my handyman/hero and I am thankful he knows how to make a bookshelf out of a bubblegum wrapper :o) Thank You to my very own MacGyver...


As a teenager,

he lit up every room he walked into. His smile was genuine and inviting. I am thankful for his real-ness and for always inviting me in his direction...and THANK YOU for that butt in those jeans :o)


As a Drill Sergeant,

he was strong and taught people how to be disciplined. I am thankful for his strong mind, protective grasp on our Family, and for teaching our children about discipline.


As a Softball Player,

he is playful, competitive, driven and passionate. I am thankful for his spunky attitude, his compassion towards what he loves, his youthful spirit, the drive he has passed onto our kids, and for always being a team player.


As a Father,

he is loving, present, a gentleman, a role model, and a teacher. I am thankful for his ability to teach the kids right from wrong, his sense to be a strong role model, his ways of showing our daughter what a gentleman is, and that he fights the good fight with me in raising all three.


As my husband...

Thank You, handsome man, for being my true love. The one who adores me, the one who saves me, the one who protects me, the one who provides for me, the one who laughs with me, the one who puts up with me, the one who never gives up on me, the father of my children, the one who is engaged in them no matter how long the day gets, the one who is my true best friend. I don't say it enough...how lucky I am to be by his side. We conquer everything together...


To see other people's stories of Thankfulness...pop into:

Monday Mortals

This week I am highlighting my niece and nephew on the other side of the Family. We are planning our trip to finally meet them next month. I am soooo excited to hug them, squeeze them, and ultimately make them feel awkward that this strange lady is all up in their grill! LOL! I especially can't wait for Joaquin and Teage to meet. A little scared, but excited all the same. Baby Camille is not such a baby anymore, but she is still the littlest of the Isla Squad. I am dying to get into her hair and put pretty things in it...I miss having a baby girl. Since I haven't met them, I haven't had the pleasure of shooting some mugs of them...so these photos are courtesy of their parents. Oh, we are excited to see you too by the way :o) I mean, aren't they just adorable??!!

Joaquin

Camille

See you in 46 days ninos....

♥LOVE♥

Monday Mortals

This week's mortal was an easy choice for me...mainly because I love her so much. She has become one of my best friends, by way of many obstacles. There was a time when I would dream of throwing spiders in her bed or worse, due to my little sister syndrome....then succeeding in moments like when I ripped jewelry right off her neck and forced her into hiding (sorry about that, but you DID throw kool-aid in my face that one time). Our sibling rivalry has left an imprint of my most fondest memories that have made us both laugh and cry at the same time.


My seester Thyme is an amazing person! She is intelligent, loving, a phenomenal bargain shopper, an extremely nurturing mom, one heck of a snazzy dresser, and above all...B.E.A-UTIFUL, inside and out! I admire her for so many of her qualities...and am super proud to be her little sister (even if I didn't realize it 20 years ago). Thank you big sis for all that you are to me...for showering me with love everytime I came to visit you, for holding my hand in my greatest time of need, for standing up for me, for engaging in my life, for being a great Aunt to my kids, for making me feel like your equal. You deserve the best in life and we both know you are succeeding in that everyday. I love you and look forward to the day when it is just us siblings again so we can make up for the times when we didn't really appreciate each other.

Sisters are a bond like no other. I have two of them and I feel so lucky to be in the middle, actually. I adore my little seester, Ebeth, just as much. She was much younger than Thyme and I, but a lady Crichfield still the same. Don't worry baby sis, your mortal moment is coming SOON!! Aren't we awesome.....? (plus, this picture makes me look tallest, hee hee)


I come from a family of five children...

...and that is what I mean when I say we didn't really appreciate each other...we were too busy beating each other up or stealing each other's clothes! I love all my sibs and hope that one day we can all be in the same place (geographically and emotionally) to make up for the lost time and lost feelings. I dream of it...

This is a terrible photo...must have been a K-Mart special going on. Seriously, why don't I have that same posture?...and Holy barrettes and bangs!!

Monday Mortals

Typically, I have posted mortals who are in my life and whom I love. While this is exactly the idea behind starting "Monday Mortals", it certainly doesn't refrain me from throwing in a celebrity to shake things up a bit. You know how I ♥ my overpaid, mostly unworthy, mostly trainwrecked, and gorgeous celebrities. This week, I have got to rave about my newest mini crush. He hasn't reached Matt Damon, Leo Di or Mark Wahlberg status, and probably never will....but all in all, he still intrigues me.

I have been obsessed with Gossip Girl ever since we got to the first hotel here in Germany. What can I say, I had some time on my hands...ANYWAY, this guy's character disgusted me at first...vile and cocky and a womanizer. He wasn't even that cute! But as the seasons evolved so did Chuck Bass.


His smarmy essence was slowly replaced with wit, mystery, and an overall gratifying stature. And THEN, I found out he had a British accent in his unfake life. SOLD!!! Chuck Bass, you can pour me a scotch anyday...

Monday Mortals

So, it's no wonder that my Monday Mortal reincarnation would feature one of my favorite humans on this planet. Steve and his son Jordan came in yesterday and we have already been having a blast. Wine, beer, jokes, stories, some hot peppers, Jackie Moon and Deter Dell so far. We tooled around a bit today looking for turkish tacos and fuel rations. We went 1 for 2. Needless to say, I ate good! But, here's my buddy and his Park Export...


I will have a more in-depth post later this week about the whole visit.

Thought for the day...

Just when you think the past is better left in the past, it re-visits and reminds you of your fondest memories...