4 more years!

Today, I am so proud of my hubby, well I am proud of him every day! But today my Marine reenlisted for another four years with the Marine Corps!

It has been a wild ride these past four years since he joined back in 2008. But I would not change a thing because it has made us grow as individuals and as a couple. I may not like it when he has to go away but I am proud that my man in a Marine and is serving his country.

Alex's blues picture from boot camp.

The military has moved us from Colorado to California to Hawaii where we will stay till 2014. We don't know where the military will send us next but I know that no matter where we go, we will make the most of it and create new memories to last a lifetime.

 Alex at MCT (San Diego, CA)

Alex at DLI (Monterey, CA)

Today's ceremony was wonderful. I could not be more proud of my husband and all he has accomplished during his Marine Coprs career. And as he was called up, my heart swelled with pride and all I could do was smile.

I was very surprised to find out that I would be receiving a certificate of appreciation. I had no idea, but Alex did. I was honored to stand next to my Marine with him during the ceremony.

I can't say it enough: I love my Marine and I am so proud of him and all he has accomplished!

A Very Kinney Christmas!

I have been a bad blogger and I have yet to post about Christmas! So here it is!

This was a very different Christmas for both Alex and I, it was our first Christmas away from home. But a piece of "home" came to visit! Alex's parents came out for Christmas this year and we were so happy to have them! It was great getting to visit with family and share the holidays with them.

The fist thing we did when they got here was of course was check out the beaches!

It was fun getting to show Mom and Dad around base and showing them where we now call home. That night we went out to dinner and had a relaxing night just catching up. We spent the next few days relaxing and enjoying each others company. I was able to go out to lunch with Mom and one of here family friends who happens to live out here and go shopping at our local mall. That same day Alex got to take Dad golfing on Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course here on base. We finished up with a great dinner at Bubba Gump, it was an all around great day.

We spent Christmas Eve cooking and lounging around the house. As Mom and I cooked for Christmas dinner, Dad and Alex hung out. We spent the afternoon playing Taboo and watching movies. That evening it was off to church on base for the candle light service.

After church we all got into our comfy clothes and settled in to watch Author...and then it was time for Santa's Elves to get to work! Alex's parents and I were in cahoots about his big Christmas gift. To play a little trick on him (all in good fun of course) we made a scavenger hunt for him to figure out what all the money was for that he would get Christmas morning. So as Alex went up to bed, I snuck around putting out his clues for the next morning.

We started Christmas morning off with my Mom's amazing breakfast casserole! It's a tradition in my family to have it for breakfast every Christmas.

And we can't forget the roaring fire!

Once our tummies were full we got to opening gifts! We opened our stockings first.

We then started on our gifts! We worked our way from youngest to oldest...starting with Alex.

Once he had opened all of his gifts it was time for his scavenger hunt!

 Hint 1: Go to the place where dreams are made...

Hint 2: Go to the place where lint bunnies are born...

Hint 3: Go to the place where the creepy critters crawl...

It was a hoot to watch him try and guess what it was he was going to find. He found his bike at the end with a sign saying to fix it up.  And he did just that! He got new rims and a tune up after the holidays. Next it was my turn to open gifts and then Mom and last but not least Dad!

For the rest of the morning and afternoon Mom and I cooked. We made an 11 pound turkey and all the fixings! I have never made a turkey without my Mom so this was quite exciting for me. And of course we had to take pictures with the bird...

While the turkey did its thing we watched Christmas movies and hung out playing with our new toys. Once all the food was ready and the turkey was done it was chow time!

Once we were all stuffed to the brim we cleaned up and played a round of Marine Corps Monopoly which Alex got for Christmas.

Even Hercules passed out from food coma!

For Mom and Dad Kinney's last day in Hawaii we went to the USS Missouri. And just my luck, my camera died three photos in...

It was a lot of fun learning the history that surrounds this massive ship. I had a ton of fun on the tour through the ship (it reminds me of the time I went on my Grandpa Heitkamp's ship). For dinner we went out to Ala Moana. We were very sad to see them go...I cried for a good five minutes as we drove away from the airport. We are so blessed to have had them come out for a wonderful visit. But this year we WILL come home and see the rest of the Kinney clan. 

So thank you Mom and Dad for a wonderful Hawaiian Christmas! 

A Night I Will Never Forget...

Disclaimer: This is a sad post and I know I cried making it so you might cry too...just a heads up.

December 10th, 2007 I lost my brother and best friend. Today is the four year anniversary of his death. I wish I could say I will just remember all the good times I shared with him but that's not entirely true, it's hard to forget what happened that night.

Nick passed away that night from a firearm accident to the head. As I held him in my arms begging him not to leave me, he passed on. We lost a wonderful young man that day. At times I still blame myself for not being able to save him but I know that there was no coming back from that type of accident. But one thing is comforting...I know he did not die alone. He passed on with me telling him how much I love him and how much I need him. And I feel very lucky to have been the last one with him.

Nick was and still is my best friend. He was always there for me no matter what I needed. He helped me though so many hard times in my life that I know I could not have made it through without him.

Nick was such a kind and caring person. You could always find him with a smile on his face. 

Nick would do anything to help anyone. He was very selfless and giving. Family was also important to him. He would do anything for his family.

To say Nick loved to skate would be an understatement. He lived and breathed skateboarding. He was a the skate park every day and all weekend long. He was also very good! He made the hardest of tricks look easy. We held his memorial service at the skate park just down the road from our house. We found that to be the perfect place to have it since it was one of the places he loved most. And I know that in Heaven he is still skating...

I will never forget my little brother. I love him with all that I am and I always will. I still to this day remember everything exactly as it happened that night and I still have nightmares about it. But even in my dreams he is there to comfort me. I look forward to the day when I can see his smiling face again and hold him in my arms and never let go. Here are a few more pictures of him that I would like to share...

I love you Nicholas Aaron Heitkamp...you are never forgotten.