Our fishies

As most of you know we have realised that we have a hobby. That hobby is our fish. I love our fish. They are so pretty and neat to watch.

Yesterday we went out in search of something that would clean up our tank. Its not nasty or anything but the crush coral on the bottom (looks like sand)is starting to look a little dirty. That and we are getting some algea. So instead of just getting the one thing...like always we bought a bunch of stuff. We have recently decided that we are addicted and I'm not allowed to go into the fish stores alone...I have NO self control.

I thought I would share our fishies with you... this is one of our 3 porcelean crabs

We have 4 of these cleaner shrimp, below.

This is a yellow tail blue damsel, they are kinda mean. We did have 2 but our big guy beat the snot out of the little guy.

We have 2 of these yellow tangs...

These little guys are about the size of a quarter, it can get hard to find them in our huge tank but I really though they were neat. Plus I liked their name...Sexy shrimp.

This is our white goby, he eats mouthfuls of sand and sifts out the dirt.

This is our Powder Brown Tang, we have since seen a powder blue tang and I think it is next on our list.

This wierd looking guy is one our faves. He is called a Sea Hare, ours is black and white. He reminds us of a dog, when he goes to sleep he curls up. I call him our under water puppy. He's so ugly he's cute.

Last but not least is my FAVE!!!! He is a mandarin Goby, isn't he beautiful ????

I hope you enjoyed our fish. I know there isn't alot right now but this is an expensive hobby so it will take us some time to build it up. Once any of you actually see it you will understand why we love it.

PROUD TO DO WHAT I DO

As I mentioned in my last blog, I love what I do. I just got this in an email and thought I would share it...

One of my sons serves in the army. He is still here in
Canada . He called me yesterday to let me know how
warm and welcoming people were to him, and his fellow
soldiers, everywhere he goes, telling me how people
shake their hands, and thank them for being willing to
serve, and fight, for not only our own freedoms but so
that others may have them also. But he also told me
about an incident in the grocers' shop he stopped at
yesterday, on his way home from the barracks. He said
that ahead of several people in front of him stood a
woman dressed in a burkha.
He said when she got to the checkout she loudly
remarked about the Canadian Flag lapel badge the cashier
wore on her blouse. The cashier reached up and touched
the badge, and said proudly," Yes, I always wear it
and probably always will."

The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when
she was going to stop bombing her countrymen,
explaining that she was Iraqi. A gentleman standing
behind my son stepped forward, putting his arm around
my son's shoulders, and nodding towards my son, said
in a calm and gentle voice to the Iraqi woman: "Lady,
hundreds of thousands of men and women like this young
man have fought and died so that YOU could stand here,
in MY country and accuse a check-out cashier of
bombing YOUR countrymen. It is my belief that had you
been this outspoken in YOUR own country, we wouldn't
need to be there today.
But, hey,if you have now learned how to speak out so
loudly and clearly, I'll gladly buy you a ticket and
pay your way back to Iraq so you can straighten out
the mess in YOUR country that you are obviously here,
in MY, country to avoid."

Everyone within hearing distance cheered!

YUCKY!!!!

Today is going to be a rough one. I started feeling sickly yesterday but because I'm either a sucker for punishment or I have a conscience I have come to work. Way too early, like usual, but I'm here. And as you can tell my mind isn't into work...thats why I'm blogging. LOL!!!

I know that I've slacked off on the blogging thing but unlike my sister I'm not a beautiful writter. She can blog about anything and make it sound good. Maybe one day...

Well, seeing how I'm here lets see what I can tell you to get you up to date with what is going on in the Gallagher household.

For starters Haylei is growing and packing on the pounds. In about a weeks she packed on 9 oz and is weighing in at 16lbs 11oz and 26.5 inches long. She has a bit of a cold again, nothing serious just alot of boogers.

Keenan has been slowly getting better with his attitude and behaviour issuse. Well, to a point. I mean he is a 6 year old little boy and I'm told that is normal. I guess now I wait until his mid twenties before all of that changes. LOL!! I can't blame the kid, I mean, he is mine and I know I was NO angel.

James is doing good. I think he is getting a little stir crazy in the house all of the time but he does hide it well. With all of this time on his hands he has decided that he misses being in the Army. He always knew that he wasn't going to stay in the Navy, it was just a stepping stone. Like I told him the other night, it was only so that he could meet his wife and creat his family. Thats what I like to think anyways.

He has decided that he wants to try for FCS Tech (Fire control system technician). Fire Control Systems Technicians belong to the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces. They are the only electronic-optronic technicians dedicated to the Army, but they also support Air Force and Navy requirements. Firecontrol systems are the weapon components that ensure accurate delivery of ammunition to the intended target, and Fire Control Systems Technicians are responsible for maintaining, repairing and modifying this equipment to keep it in top condition. So he in a nut shell he gets to blow stuff up !!!

There are a couple other trades that he has been looking at if he can't get that one but for all of them he would have to go Army again. As long as he eventually finds something that he is happy with, its all good.

The only crappy thing is that if he gets his FCS Tech then again he will be away for a long time. As it is he leaves for the Gulf in Sept (about a month after we take possession of the house) and will be gone for 6 months. He may come home early but that is only if he gets accepted for the FCS Tech course which is over a year long and all of it is done in the Ontario area. We have no idea what will happen, it all depends on if he gets this course. I hope that if he gets the course I will get posted to somewhere in Ontario so that me and the kids will be somewhat closer to him. Otherwise me and the kids will have to stay here and be away from him for over a year. I know it sounds like a long time (and it kind of is) but in the grand scheme of things, being our entire lives, a year is relatively short.

Regardless of what happends with that...if he doesn't get that course then once he gets home from the Gulf he will have to do his 5's training and that is in Halifax for something like 4 1/2 months.

It sounds like alot and I know some of my friends that are not in the military don't know how we do it but this is our lives. I can't speak for James but I love my job, my life, my family and all it entails. You have to realise that we volintarily joined the military and knew that there would be trying times. I can honestly say that it wasn't until I joined the military that I actually felt like I belonged. There is no life like it....and I love it.

I guess I should probably get back to work but I will try to update this more often now that I know I can access it for work.

Oh, and for those that don't know we did buy the house. We went and picked out everything from lighting to counter tops...that was fun. Now all we have to do is wait for it to get built...its going to be a long 5 months. I'm impatient, I want to move in NOW!!!!!!

LOOOOOONG TIME!!

I know, I know. Its been a long time but I have been really busy with being back to work and all of Keenan's extra ciricular activities. So by the time I get home from everything and get the kids to bed I like to spend my nights with James NOT the computer. Before I know it, it will be September and he will be off to the Gulf. Then, I will probably never be off the computer. LOL!!!

Anyways, the news around here is that we DID buy the house. We take possession 10 August, maybe sooner, if they have built early. I can't wait, this shole experience has been exciting!!!! I mean we get to pick everything from where the phone and cable jacks go to knobs or handles on the cupboards. The colour of carpet (upstairs) the colour of hardwood(downstairs, it was an upgrade), the lighting package and a whole lot more. I can't wait until we move into our new HOME!!!!! I will post pictures as it is getting built, we went by it yesterday but all it is is a lot full of dirt and rocks...not too much to show.

Keenan is doing well, being a typical pain in the butt at times but he IS a 6 year old little boy, apparently its normal. He is going to turn me grey by the time I'm 30. Thank god for Hair Dye!!!!! His Karate is coming along, he has moved upto the older kids group now. It is a little more challenging but he is getting it pretty good. I have downloaded the videos of karate but the program I use to get them into my blog isn't working for some reason, I promise, once I get it sorted out I will posted them.

Haylei is doing great, she is getting alot better about using her hands. Even though she still refuses to hold her bottle. She figures that why should she hold it when she knows we will hold it for her. She is 16 lbs 2 oz as of 2 days ago. She packed on 9 oz in 1 week.
















James is doing good. I think that if we would have a free babysitter he would go back to work but that isn't the case so he is toughing it out at home. He is liking the fact that he gets to spend time with the kids and that he doesn't have to get a hair cut or shave but he has noticed that staying at home is a lot of work. Although he hasn't gotten much done lately with the Olympics being on and all. LOL!!!

He has now decided that he misses the Army, so it looks like when he does his occupational transfer he is going to try to get back into the Army. He won't go back to the Infantry because that would just be too hard on his body but he misses the green uniform!!!! If he does that then he will be away in Ontario (Meaford, Borden) for awhile. It isn't too bad, I just want him to do something that makes him happy. Me with my job, I can go anywhere that he goes. So if he gets his way we will probably be leaving in the next couple years to go somewhere with actual seasons instead of construction season and tourist season. I am not looking forward to having to deal with snow again but I guess I don't have a choice. As long as my family is with me and my husband is happy doing his job then that is all that matters. We can deal with anything that comes our way.

Buying a home

Well, we have officially grown up!!! We are going to be buying a home, we hope. Its a little scarry but I'm sure we will be fine. It is a nice new home, not even built yet. It is located in a nice developement in Sooke, call Sunriver Estates, about 1/2 hr away from where we live now. This developement is growing rapidly and we have managed to secure a lot in the second phase. Right now there is about 300 home in there and ther will be around 800 by the time the deevelpoement is finished. There is only about 10 lots left in this phase and the next one will be even more expensive, but then again EVERYTHING around here is expensive!!!! I like the fact that we get some say in how the house is put together. I mean that we get to pick colours and alot of the little things that when buying a normal house you don't get a choice. Little things like lighting fixtures, door knobs/handles, flooring, cupboards and of couse anything extra that we want ...like a jetted tub in the master bath!!!! And YES we will be getting the jetted tub!!!

If you want to check out the house it is the Driftwood plan and we will be adding a basement onto it as well.
http://sunriverestates.com/

I know I haven't been here much to update but I do have more pictures/videos to share so come back soon and hopefull I will have them posted too.

Christmas and Stuff

Okay, this should get me all caught up, then its off to beddy-by for me!!! These are some pictures mostly from Christmas and New Years Eve.

Daddy was downstairs with Haylei doing laundry and apparently it was easier to carry everything up together.

Daddy is feeding her a ketchup chip.

Keenan with his friends Erin and Cameron on New Years Eve

Still doing some catch up !!

Okay, now for the pictures. I know that I'm not writting that much to go with these blogs but I'm just wanting to catch up at this point. Then I will work on filling in any details later...

His gingerbread house looked sooo good. He did it all by himself and he was soooo proud of it.

No, we did NOT give her anything to drink!!!

Doesn't she look happy?????

I call this one "Daddy's Scowl" LOL!!

They are both just sooo adoreable!!!

Just Hanging Out

He still likes to play with the boxes, but now he plays with the presents that come in them too!!

Karate Keenan. The boots don't go so well but we were just on our way out. I keep forgetting to bring my camera to karate, but next week I will get some video of him to post.

Daddy at feeding time

Isn't he adoreable!!!!! I have posted these video's of James feeding Haylei for those of you who have never seen him with kids, especially his own. Okay, so that would be almost all of you. He makes all sorts of noises and stuff to keep her attention and I was trying to catch him but he always knew when I was doing it...kinda made it hard to catch him.



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Catching Up

Okay, I know its been awhile and I promise I will catch you up on everything.

I have alot of photos to post but I also have a few videos for you all to enjoy, first is Haylei's first try at a jolly jumper. She isn't quite sure what to do but she is getting the hang of it now.



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Next up is Keenan's Christmas concert, he was soooo cute. The crappy part is that I was trying to take pictures/video with my camera and shoot some footage on my normal video camera, the results weren't too great. Next year I hope James can go, he was away on course. Also, next year I will stick to one device!!!


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Here he is again preforming the same song he did at the concert, but for a smaller crowd...me and 2 of his friends.


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OUCH!!!!

Sorry about the long time between posts but with Christmas and all it has been a busy time. This is going to be short too, I fell down the stairs the other morning and have pulled multiple muscles in my back, shoulder, neck and knee. Once they heal I will get back to posting. I just can't sit in this chair for too long.

Take Care and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!!

Oops

I published the last three in the wrong order but I'm sure you all know what I mean. Apparently my brain was stuck in reverse. LOL!!!

And even more....

And now we have Chaddy...

And of course baby Courtney ...And last but not least a couple old group shots...

Hey guys look close.....dad with little to no grey!!!! LOL!!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed these, I LOVE pictures and looking back on how we all looked at one point in time. I know that I have alot of Dayna but if anyone out there has more of Lance, Chad or Courtney could you post them or email them to me I would love to add them to my photo albums!!!

Some more old pictures

For some reason it will let me post so many pictures per blog so now we have Dayna...

Wasn't she a cutie!!!

And a couple of Lance...who knew that 15 years later my friends would think he is hot??!!!

Old pictures

Okay, so I was going through my photo albums (and I have alot of them) with Keenan and I decided to post some old pictures of my family. No real reason for it, just thought they were cute. Okay, and maybe to embarrass some of them, and me.


This is my step mom Shona...

Look at all the hair she use to have. Strike a pose mom!!!
Then there is Chris, our oldest brother

Gotta LOVE those suspenders...and he thought he was HOT!!!!

I don't have any good ones of Michelle, and I don't have ANY of Mark, but then there is Angella...

Angella, Dayna and I. LOVE those denim skirts !!!

See, she did have straight hair at one point. And she too can have that mischievious smile!!

I don't know if you can tell, but check out how high her bangs are. I must say back then when it was the higher the better, she made me jealous.