When memories fade...

Until next time...

2012-12-31T21:11:00.000-06:00

Mark and I took the children down to where Mark proposed to me on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific in La Jolla. They enjoyed seal beach. We also told the children how their great grandfather built the building that changed the height restrictions on future buildings built there. We had a nice brunch, visited Maddy @ water polo practice and then the kids played on a playground for a bit before heading to the airport.
We had such a nice visit with friends and family and look forward to seeing Sunny California again!
We want to thank Linda and Susan for all their efforts in making our condo feel like a home. The Christmas tree and decorations and made it feel so special. We appreciate the towels, groceries and many other necessities! We love and miss you!

Asher (7), Tennyson (4), Maysie (5), Alyce (2), Braxton (9)

Little Italy Supper

2012-12-29T20:52:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a supper in Little Italy. Thank you Linda for our gift card!
Mark & I, Linda & Deb, Susan & Chuck, and Chris (Brenda was home in early stages of labor)

Chris, Susan, Mark

Maddy time!

2012-12-28T22:18:00.000-06:00

Oh how the kids adore their big cousin Maddy! We really enjoyed our townhouse in La Jolla. It not only was beautiful but it was close to Bishops where she goes to school and is on the polo team. Linda, Mark, the children and I enjoyed playing a little ball at her school as well.

Friends

2012-12-28T20:45:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a nice dinner with Mark's best friends and our families.
Devin Carney, Mike Sorenson, Mark Huntley, & Jason Silverthorn

The kids

Eli Ari (Mike's girlfriend), Me, Mandi Carney, Amber Silverthorn

Family time

2012-12-28T20:29:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed some family time at the beach. The kids had so much fun running and playing, building sand castles, making tunnels in the sand, remembering loved one's, but mostly just cherishing the moments we have together.

Linda & Mark

Linda & Maddy

Deb, Maddison, & Linda

We released balloons to remember Deb's father

Maddy & Asher warming up their feet in the sink.

Grandpa Bruce, Lawren & the Boys

2012-12-27T21:50:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Bruce and Lawren took the boys on a fun several days and nights of adventure. We took the boys to there house and Lawren had made a nice breakfast for us. Later that day they took the boys to Sea World. The next day they enjoyed a balloon parade downtown where they got to ride the trolley and visit Old Town. We also met up at Viejas and had a pizza and bowling night. They made many fun memories!

Build A Bear Workshop

2012-12-27T21:39:00.000-06:00

December 27, 2012 Aunt Linda gave a nice gift of gift certificates to Build A Bear Workshop. The girls had a blast making there new stuffed babies.

Christmas Day

2012-12-25T21:07:00.000-06:00

Christmas December 25, 2012:We celebrated Christmas at Grandpa Chuckles and Nana's house. Nana Susan made a nice lunch. We enjoyed hanging out together and watching the children play.

San Diego, CA Beach & Family time

2012-12-24T20:44:00.000-06:00

December 24, 2012 We enjoyed our first morning in San Diego playing on the beach and flying kites despite the cloudy, cool weather.

We worked up an appetite playing on the beach so we found a nice pastry shop for brunch. Jennifer loved her warm chocolate pastry!

Fall Pics

2012-11-11T21:08:00.000-06:00

Fall Pics~ November 11, 2012

Tennyson~age 4

Asher~age 7

Braxton~Age 9

Leaving on a jet plane

2011-11-25T13:52:00.001-06:00

Our trip to San Diego was bittersweet. It was certainly different without Papa and we will miss him. However, being with family and friends was a delight. So for now we are leaving on a jet plane...don't know when we'll be back again...but hopefully it will be sooner than later.
Here is a pic of the kids with the pilot. They had a blast.

Here are some arial shots from the window of the airplane.

Breakfast before we leave

2011-11-25T09:39:00.001-06:00

We had a family breakfast at a place we saw on the Food Network that Chef Robert Irvine had redesigned. Unfortunately, Braxton who was super excited about it became sick and was unable to enjoy our family time before we left.
'Mr. Chuckles' & Tennyson

Nana & Tennyson

Mark & his mom (Susan Ham)

Maysie & Tennyson (cousins)

'Mr. Chuckles' & Asher

Tennyson & Me

Uncle Chris, Tennyson & Me

Mark, Alyce, Susan

Aunt Linda & Mark

Asher & Maysie

Susan with her grandchildren

Aunt Linda telling Braxton, Asher & Tennyson good-bye

Thanksgiving with our CA Family!

2011-11-24T11:29:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving at Chris & Brenda's House:
This was Brenda's first time to Host and cook a turkey...she nailed it!

Breakfast at Coronado

2011-11-20T11:44:00.001-06:00

Mark suprised me and took me and the children to have breakfast at the Hotel Del Coronado. If you have never done so, I highly recommend it. Afterwards, we took a stroll on the beach.

Of course, we wore our SandBoaMorph.com gear. Never miss an opportunity to promote your business!

They had a Dr. Seuss statue collection that was about to be sold into private collections.

This is an image going across the Coronado bridge.

We had planned a fun day with the kids. Originally we were going to let them get inside a large ball and walk/run on water. However, it was temporarily closed due to a Santa station being set up. So, we let the boys do a hurricane simulator. Braxton is very interested in learning about weather. We recently took a class with him to be a storm spotter.

Parkhouse Eatery!!!

2011-11-20T08:39:00.001-06:00

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner...Parkhouse Eatery is one of my all time favorite restaurants in San Diego. It is a MUST try!!!
Aunt Linda & Mark

Tennyson & Me

Brenda & Alyce

'Mr. Chuckles" & Braxton

'Nana' Susan & Asher

'Mr. Chuckles' & Asher

The Family

Fall Festival

2011-11-19T09:11:00.001-06:00

Our neice, Maysie, had a Fall Festival at her preschool. It was a lot of fun. The boys enjoyed getting thier faces painted. Mark even attempted being a guest face painter. The first time was not so great but practice did make improvement.

Alyce (our neice) with Uncle Mark and her Daddy Chris.

The boys always enjoy wrestling with Unlce Chris...Maysie is looking in.

Asher accomplished the jr. survivor slide!

Deb's 50th Surprise Birthday Party!

2011-11-19T02:31:00.000-06:00

Linda surprised Deb with one of the most amazing things I have ever done. She had 50 of her family and friends and we went the Aolani catamaran for a night bay cruise. Seeing the city from the water was beautiful in itself but the America's Cup was present practicing, we got to under the Coronado bridge, and under the bow of the Midway Navy Carrier, and see the ship that carried Osama Bin Ladan's body. The food and company were amazing. If you are ever interested check out there website at http://www.aolani.cc/
Here are a few images that my mother-in-law took.

Mark & me

Chris & Brenda

The Huntley wives: Brenda & me

Mark & his Mom (Susan Ham)

Madison and Mark awaiting for Deb to arrive

Chuck and Susan Ham

Deb and her beautiful daughter Madison

Deb & Linda...surprise!

Asper women & Linda

Susan, Mark, me

Below Stephen & me: Stephen Mann was our captain of the evening. Guess what he grew-up in Alabama. Now, he is a professional captain and rigger. He carries a 500 ton Ocean’s Master with a towing endorsement, which has put him aboard countless sailboats, motor vessels, tugboats and tall ships. He has circumnavigated the Southern Ocean and is available to teach sailing or just be your captain if needed. He was kind enough to let me spin the wheel and assist in sailing in the bay.

Below: Mark & Carrie Pearce~Deb was not the only one surprised that night. I will never forget Mark's face when he saw Carrie walk onto the boat. They were really good friends when he lived in San Diego. It has been 12 years since they saw each other so it was awesome they got to catch-up.

Joseph Kawka "Papa"

2011-11-18T00:59:00.000-06:00

One thing about this earth we live on is that death is inevitable but hard and painful to lose the ones we love so dear. However, God gave his only Son to die so that we may have the chance for eternal life. For me, that translates into hope until we see those that have gone before us. Papa passed away a month after his 90th birthday party on November 1st.

I first visited San Diego and Mark in 1999. Mark was working during the day and I did not rent a car. However, Papa came almost every single day and picked me up and was the best tour guide I have ever had. He showed me nearly every part of San Diego County. He gave the grand tour from various beaches, downtown, the Naval base, Point Loma, La Jolla Shores (my fav!), Coronodo, several missions, East County, West County, etc. One day we went from the desert to the mountains in Julian and had fresh squeezed apple cider and it snowing in the mountain to laying in the flower fields in the warm California sun in Carlsbad and telling stories. He was so happy that Mark and I were dating but I think he liked to get hugs and kisses from me, too!

He led an amazing life and was a good husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. We will miss him.
I wanted to share with you an article that was written in the San Diego Union Tribune a few years ago. He is one of few that are still living that saw not only the beginning but the end of WWII. He was in Japan right after the bobing of Hiroshima. We havea picture of him standing in rubble and Mark and I have a picture of the same spot when we visited Japan. Check back and I will try and post the images from that.

Article from 12/07/05

It's been 64 years, but Joe Kawka vividly remembers the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on his ship at Pearl Harbor.

"It's into your mind and you can't get rid of it. I can see it all like it just happened today," the 84-year-old El Cajon resident said.

Kawka remembers the Japanese planes zooming in so low he could see a pilot's face.

His ship was in dry dock for repairs and the guns on deck were out of commission. Instead, the sailors fought back with the only ammunition they had.

"We started throwing potatoes at them. We almost got them, too," Kawka said.

As another anniversary of what President Franklin Roosevelt called "the date which will live in infamy" comes around, Kawka (pronounced Cough-ka) is one of a dwindling number of survivors to tell his story.

The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association says it's uncertain how many survivors remain, but two members a day are dying.

Kawka is one of 1,572 Pearl Harbor survivors in California who have license plates denoting their presence during the attack. A year ago, 1,671 survivors had the license plates, a spokesman at the Department of Motor Vehicles said.

Kawka, who served 20 years in the Navy, was a gardener for the Grossmont Union High School District and later worked in a family candy business until he retired at 80.

He married and raised three children, losing his wife in August after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

But the sights and sounds of that Sunday morning in December are still fresh.

Kawka, then 19, was a signalman on the destoyer Cassin, during the attack that thrust the United States into World War II. He had joined the Navy after high school to escape the poverty of his small town in upstate New York.

Kawka was patrolling the pier near his ship around 8 a.m. when the Japanese attacked, flying so low he could see the markings on their planes.

"When I looked up, I saw that red round ball. I said, 'Ye God! It's Japanese!' I couldn't believe it," he said.

He said he saw the battleship Arizona get bombed, resulting in an explosion and a fire that killed 1,177 crewmen, the greatest loss of life on any ship that day.

"I saw the bomb go right down the stack," he said.

The armor-piercing bomb ignited the Arizona's forward ammunition magazine.

Most of all, Kawka remembers the chaos during the attack that claimed 2,403 lives.

"It was kind of crazy. Nobody knew what was going on," he said. "Everybody was screaming and hollering and scared and didn't know if they were going to be killed or not."

Kawka and the other crew members were ordered back to the Cassin. Then a second wave of 170 planes attacked. Kawka could see a pilot in the open cockpit.

"He shook his hand at us as he went by," Kawka said.

A bomb landed between the Cassin and the ship next to it. The crew scrambled to get off the ship, climbing down ropes to escape.

Kawka took cover with other sailors for the rest of the day. The next day, with nothing but the clothes he was wearing, he was ordered to another ship that was hunting for Japanese subs outside the harbor.

Kawka said he was relieved that day when he heard Roosevelt's speech to Congress declaring war on Japan.

"Now we had to go out and fight. We had something to fight for," he said.

The events of Dec. 7 have remained with Kawka. He said he and his wife, Elsie, visited Hawaii a couple of times, but he never enjoyed the trips. When he visited the Arizona memorial, the memories swept over him.

"When you go back there, everything comes back to you," he said. "To this day, it never goes away."

Here are a a few images from the gun salute at his funeral to scattering his ashes at sea right off from Point Loma.

On the way out to sea, we had the experience of seeing a female whale that was pregnant that had beeched herself adndied and they were towing it I believe to Sea World for further research. Sad, but it was the first whale I have ever seen outside of captivity.

Braxton and Tennyson are both very tender hearted children. Sometimes we underestimate the feelings of children since they are yound and don't have as many memories. Tenny cried aloud during the funeral saying "I want my Papa" and still talks about him daily. When were sharing memories of Papa during the spreading of his ashes, Asher said, "I have something to say. I will miss wrestling with Papa." Papa showed no mercy. He was competitive and he intended to win whether wrestling with kids or playing cards. Here is Tenny comforting Braxton.

Our Alabama Thanksgiving

2011-11-12T03:09:00.001-06:00

If you could only taste how good the food is at our annual Thanksgiving Dinner at my parents home...it really is good enough to 'slap your mama'. Southern food is delicious but it is a good thing it only comes around once a year or the obesity rate would be off the charts and it is nearly there now in the South. Our Thanskgiving is a time of family gathering, eating, men helping to clean then napping/ watching football, fishing, women cleaning more, children running ceaslessly and then we have a nice long hay ride and warm up to a nice cup of Russian tea. The country is nice and having a loving family is amazing.
The dinner is enough to feed a small town but the leftovers are especially good. It is all homemade, nothing from a box except, I learned how to make a box dressing for Mark b/c he prefers it over the Southern style cornbread. We have 2-3 turkeys, 2 large pans of southern dressing with gravy (optional), 1 ham, 2 sweet potato casseroles, 10 lbs of buttery creamy mashed potatoes, 2 squash caseroles, potato salad, turnip greens, 2 hashbrown casseroles, lady peas, congelled salad, homemade yeast rolls, homemade bread with ribbon cane syrup, deviled eggs, spinach salad with poppyseed dressing, green beans, and a marinated vegetable cold salad. Then there is a seperate dessert table of ambosia with or w/o coconut, chocolate pie, ginger cookies, pound cakes, cheesecakes, pumpkin pie, assorted cookies galore. I forgot to mention the appetizer table before the dinner starts but you get the hint! Enjoy the pics and again I forgot my camera but I attempted to use my mother's camera on manual settings..I do much better with big DSLR cameras than point and shoots but here are a few images to savor until next year. If you like what you see you are more than welcome to join in!

Here are the kids helping me prepare the squash casserole.

Susan (Mark's GF), Mark, Lisa (Single, available) , Uncle Ed & Aunt Vonnette McWilliams

Mark McWilliams and Susan

Robert and Linda Suttle (my brother's in-laws)

Jason (my brother), Lisa, Sutton & Emmie Latham Linda, Robert Suttle

Sutton,Emmie, Tennyson, Asher & Braxton..we missed you Piper!

Mark (35), Jennifer (37), Braxton (8), Asher (6), & Tennyson (3)

My mother got a rare photo of me. I am usually behind the camera!

My parents got Mark and a MUCH needed Garmin. He's brilliant but VERY directionally challenged!

And yes, this is my 8 year old son driving the gator all over the farm. For some reason it seemed okay whenI was his age but wow...payback is coming quicker thanI anticipated.

Beginning our hay ride down our 5 mile dirt road.

Aunt Vonnette and Uncle Ed captured in the hay.

All the grandkids take turns riding with my wonderful daddy!

Atop this hillside was where we had planned to build our home...sometimes plans change for a reason.

My pretty and single cousin.

Rule of life #???...You're never to old to jump on hay bails but sometimes there are consequenses to age!

What else can you say but..Isn't that pretty. Thank you God!

Uncle Mike & Aunt Marilyn Colson

Matthew and Elizabeth "Lizzy Bear" came by after Matthew's rugby game. Elizabeth was our former babysitter. I introduced them almost one year ago and things are going well. I enjoy matchmaking.

Harding University

2011-10-28T19:11:00.001-05:00

Jennifer Latham Huntley Introduction

Carr College of Nursing Distinguished Alumnus Award 2011-2012

(written by Dr. Cathleen Shultz, dean of the Carr College of Nursing)

Jennifer Latham was a self-motivated, determined, and compassionate student who carried those attributes into her professional life.

She was encouraging to and repected by classmates and faculty.

She was lively and energetic with just a pitch of mischievousness.

She possessed the attributes to become an exceptional nurse.

Jennifer performed in an outstanding manner in both pediatric and adult intensive care areas in Arkansas and Alabama until a medical procedure performed incorrectly, tragically, left her legs paralyzed.

The determination and intensity of purpose Jennifer demonstrated at Harding and in her nursing career rose up again.

Never accepting "You can't do it" for an answer, she focused her mental, spiritual, and physical energy on being able to walk again.

After seven months she achieved her goal but was then confronted with severe pain episodes.

Her determination and faith in God saw her through.

Jennifer has participated in "Race for the Cure and speaks to church and civic groups about her experience and what God has done in her life.

She has served as a volunteer teacher at Chilton Christian Academy and a Juvenile Detention Center.

Creativily, she and her husband Mark have trasformed two hobbies (photography and horticulture) into successfull businesses.

Additionally, she parents three beautiful children: Braxton, age 8, Asher, age 6, and Tennyson age 3.

To quote Jennifer Latham Huntley's own words : "This entire experience could easily have ruined my life but I knew MY attitude would make me walk again...And SO this experience only changed my life and I have been made Stronger."

I present to you ....Jennifer Latham Huntley, the Carr College of Nursing Distinguished Alumnus.

My Acceptance Speech:

When I was 13 years of age, I visited Harding for the first time and fell in love with everything it offered. I knew it was where I wanted to go to college. Every moment on the campus has been a blessed memory. Now 13 years after I graduated, I stand before you humbled and honored.

I am grateful to the the Nursing School to providing an excellent education. Unfortunatley, due to a spinal cord injury from a labor epidural I was left paralyzed. I am confident that I will fully recover someday. Yet, there is not a day that goes by I do not use my education.

Dr. Cathleen Shultz is one of the best educational mentors one could have. This past week her mother passed away. I would like you to please keep her and her family in your prayers.

Sometimes life gives us obsticles but if we sty true to our faith and be positive, in the end you gain strength and peace.

Thank you to my family and friends and all of you who came this evening. And, for the opportunity to experience this award. It's a memory that I will carry with me forever.

Extra things I would like to share about Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas:

Harding is not only a beautiful campus but has unique architectural features as well. Mark and I also enjoyed attending the American Studies featured speakers from Margaret Thatcher, Mikhael Gorbachev, to George Bush Sr., etc...

As flat as the campus may seem, the Honors Society gratefully loaned me a bicycle to get around campus. However, I didn't take along my camera equipment. My mother shared some of the images she took but unfortunately her camera decided to end its life so we are thankfull for the images we have.

My Paternal grandmother made this outfit for me that Tennyson is wearing when I was her age. It was special for her to fit into it for this special occasion. When I was a senior in college my paternal grandfather passed away. Three weeks after his passing my grandmother came to visit me at Harding. I treasure those memories because she left passed away from a sudden brain aneurysm two days later.

Here are a few images from the Black and Gold Banquet where the award was presented.

I have a passion for public speaking although I have not had all the experience I desire. Mark intends to put my speech on you tube so you can view it there if you so wish. Check back soon for a link.

Mark loved to play ultimate frisbee on this lawn.

Here are a few images from the Nursing Open House also honoring me. It was a pleasure to see many of my former instructors and meet new ones as well.

This is Mrs. Johnetta Kelly in which our Group to Africa named a child we found in the middle of a busy intersection after...she's special

Tennyson and I sitting near the fountain in front of the Benson Auditorium.

Here is an image of the foyer of the new Heritage Hotel that connects the cafeteria and student center.

The story goes that if you sit on one of the Harding swings three times with your “date” then your destined for marriage. Well, here is one of us kissing and well... you see where it lead us...happily married with three wonderfully, busy, type A children.

Here are a few more images from the center of campus. It is excellent university!

Here are a couple images of the rice fields from Memphis to Bald Knob, AR.

Dr. Sam Shultz, a distinguished pediatrician at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and husband to my educational mentor Dr. Cathleen Shultz. Our hearts are with you while you are with your family in Ohio for the passing of your mother. I will always tresure the Dr. Shultz' for sharing many acts of love and keeping a watchful eye over me.

Happy 10th Anniversary

2011-10-20T16:14:00.001-05:00

October 20, 2011
To My Husband and Best Friend,

I thought it would be a good idea to see if I could squeeze into my wedding dress. However, I did not plan on it being 30 degrees outside with a strong North wind (75 the day before). I forgot a mirror, make-up. I forgot the key to the farm which entailed me hiking a long way to get a short distance because of the inclines/declines with camera and dress in tow. I did not expect folks to stop and stare & wonder why I was changing into a wedding dress from the road. But, the good thing is that it still fit! Although it is not the best image I hope it's the thought and effort that count. Thank you for ten wonderful years. I pray God blesses us with even more fun!

Roadside Farm

2011-10-06T22:12:00.000-05:00

Tennyson misses our cows but on this fine day she wanted to stop and check out the roadside farm on the way to my parents house. The lighting may not beperfect in a portrait standard but sometimes it is so much more than lighting...it is her contagious smile, her love to pick and hold and share a bouquet of flowers, the way she talked to the cow, but all in all her love of life!

Our morning routine

2011-08-20T17:32:00.001-05:00

Most mornings while Mark is taking the boys to school Tennyson and I begin our day with a nice walk around the farm checking on all the animals. You would think it was Spring time with all the babies born this past week this past week. We usually begin by feeding and watering the tortoises. Then we check on the bunnies and pigs. Then we make our way to see if any snakes have been born. On this special day we walked out and Tennyson found new baby chicks. She was so excited. It was born after the mother left the nest with the other chicks so Tennyson was the first to see it. It would cheep and cheep if she put it down.
Tennyson with Sophie (our 6mo lionhead bunny)

Tennyson with Shem (a recent gift to us..a mini lop that didn't lop & it's a hermaphrdite!)

Here are the kids watching the birth of snakes before they went for school.

If you would like to see more about our snakes please visit our website http://www.sandboamorphs.com/

Asher's 1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-20T17:01:00.000-05:00

August 8, 2011
Asher began his first day of Kindergarten. He had some reservations about leaving home but afterwards was so excited he said "I had so much fun I can hardly tell you about it." He really likes his teacher. He said Braxton gave him permission to say "Hi Braxton" whenever he saw him. Eight days into school after picking up the boys he told me that his favorite part of school that day was that he got to see Braxton in the gym and he said "Hi Braxton". How cute! Here are a few images from his first day of school.

July fun!

2011-07-29T12:45:00.000-05:00

Daddy, the kids and I had a fun but hot afternoon picking blueberries. Unfortunately, our fun was cut short due to me having an ovarian cyst to rupture.

Asher was such a trooper picking in the hot sun! He enjoyed picking and eating but picked a gallon himself!

The kids and I enjoyed making some butterscotch cookies for some friends of our that are serving our wonderful country in Kuwait.

Braxton (age 8) learned how to cut grass this Summer and has been a big help to his mommy!

I caught a picture of Asher and Tennyson peeking through the tree watching Braxton cut grass.